U.S. patent number 9,681,510 [Application Number 14/669,739] was granted by the patent office on 2017-06-13 for lighting device with operation responsive to geospatial position.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Cree, Inc.. The grantee listed for this patent is Cree, Inc.. Invention is credited to Antony Paul van de Ven.
United States Patent |
9,681,510 |
van de Ven |
June 13, 2017 |
Lighting device with operation responsive to geospatial
position
Abstract
A lighting device is arranged to receive or determine
information indicative of geospatial location (and optionally
additional information such as time, time zone, and/or date) and
automatically adjust one or more light output parameters (e.g.,
luminous flux, color point, color temperature, spectral content,
and operating time) based on such information to operate one or
more emitters differently on different days of a year. Information
indicative of geospatial location may be received or provided by a
user input element, a signal receiver, and/or at least one sensor.
Brightness and/or spectral content of lighting device emissions may
be further adjusted intraday based on sensed ambient conditions,
conditions of an illuminated space or surface, information
indicative of weather conditions, and/or user inputs.
Inventors: |
van de Ven; Antony Paul (Sai
Kung, HK) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cree, Inc. |
Durham |
NC |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Cree, Inc. (Durham,
NC)
|
Family
ID: |
56974499 |
Appl.
No.: |
14/669,739 |
Filed: |
March 26, 2015 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20160286616 A1 |
Sep 29, 2016 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B
47/19 (20200101); A61N 5/0618 (20130101); H05B
45/37 (20200101); H05B 47/175 (20200101); H05B
47/11 (20200101); H05B 47/105 (20200101); H05B
45/20 (20200101); H05B 47/16 (20200101); H05B
47/115 (20200101); A61N 2005/0651 (20130101); F21Y
2115/10 (20160801); H01L 2924/181 (20130101); F21V
23/045 (20130101); A61N 2005/0626 (20130101); H01L
2224/73265 (20130101); H05B 45/28 (20200101); H05B
45/325 (20200101); F21K 9/232 (20160801); Y02B
20/40 (20130101); H01L 2224/48091 (20130101); F21W
2131/103 (20130101); H01L 2224/48091 (20130101); H01L
2924/00014 (20130101); H01L 2924/181 (20130101); H01L
2924/00012 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05B
33/08 (20060101); H05B 37/02 (20060101); A61N
5/06 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2008264430 |
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Nov 2008 |
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2009152213 |
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JP |
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0034709 |
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Jun 2000 |
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WO |
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2009041171 |
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Apr 2009 |
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WO |
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2013085978 |
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Jun 2013 |
|
WO |
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2014165692 |
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Oct 2014 |
|
WO |
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2015049146 |
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Apr 2015 |
|
WO |
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Other References
US. Appl. No. 14/260,048, filed Apr. 23, 2014. cited by applicant
.
U.S. Appl. No. 14/298,229, filed Jun. 6, 2014. cited by applicant
.
Negley, G. et al., "Essentials of designing efficient luminaires
with LEDs," LEDs Magazine, Issue 18, Jan./Feb. 2008, Pennwell
Corporation, pp. 17-22. cited by applicant .
Van De Ven, A. et al., "Warm White illumination with high CRI and
high efficacy by combining 455nm excited yellowish phosphor LEDs
and red AllnGaP LEDs," The First International Conference on White
LEDs and Solid State Lighting, Nov. 28, 2007, Led Lighting
Fixtures, Inc., 8 pages. cited by applicant .
Duffy, Jeanne F. et al., "Effect of Light on Human Circadian
Physiology," Sleep Medicine Clinics, Jun. 2009, vol. 4, Issue 2,
Elsevier Inc., pp. 1-18. cited by applicant .
Rea, Mark S. et al., "Circadian Light," Journal of Circadian
Rhythms, vol. 8, Issue 2, Feb. 2010, 10 pages. cited by applicant
.
Author Unknown, "Marvell 88MB300 Bluetooth Microcontroller:
Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy (LE) Dual Mode System-on-Chip (SoC),"
Internet of Things (IoT), 2014, Marvell Technology Group Ltd., 2
pages. cited by applicant .
Author Unknown, "RN4020: Bluetooth.RTM. Low Energy Module," Advance
Information, Mar. 25, 2014, Microchip Technology Inc.,
DS50002279A-p. 1 to DS50002279A-p. 26. cited by applicant .
Rea, M.S., et al., "White lighting for residential applications,"
Lighting Research and Technology, vol. 45, Issue 3, 2013, The
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, pp. 331-344.
cited by applicant .
Walker, Rick, "Lighting using Smart Mesh," CSR Confidential, Aug.
2013, Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited, 25 pages. cited by applicant
.
Invitation to Pay Additional Fees and Partial International Search
for International Patent Application No. PCT/IB2016/053454, mailed
Sep. 15, 2016, 8 pages. cited by applicant .
International Search Report and Written Opinion for International
Patent Application No. PCT/IB2016/053454, mailed Jan. 19, 2017, 19
pages. cited by applicant .
MacAdam, David, L., "Visual Sensitivities to Color Differences in
Daylight," Journal of the Optical Society of America, vol. 32,
Issue 5, May 1942, Optical Society of America, pp. 247-274. cited
by applicant .
Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 15/179,658, mailed Mar.
10, 2017, 15 pages. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Richardson; Jany
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Withrow & Terranova, P.L.L.C.
Gustafson; Vincent K.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lighting device comprising: at least one electrically
activated emitter; at least one element selected from: (a) a user
input element, (b) a signal receiver, and (c) at least one sensor,
wherein the at least one element is arranged to receive or provide
at least one signal indicative of or permitting derivation of
geospatial position; and a driver module arranged to adjust
operation of the at least one electrically activated emitter
differently on different days of a year based on the at least one
signal and a predefined or user-defined schedule stored in a memory
of the lighting device, wherein said adjustment alters spectral
content of emissions of the lighting device, and wherein said
predefined or user-defined schedule is configured to alter the
spectral content of the emissions of the lighting device to
compensate for yearly variations in spectral content of natural
ambient light.
2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one element
is additionally arranged to receive or provide at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of any of date, time, and
time zone.
3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one element
comprises a user input element arranged to provide at least one
signal indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial
position.
4. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one element
comprises a signal receiver arranged to receive at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial position.
5. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the signal receiver
comprises any of a GPS receiver, a radio frequency receiver, a WiFi
receiver, a Bluetooth receiver, a ZigBee receiver, a modulated
light receiver, an infrared receiver, and an encoded power line
signal receiver.
6. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the signal receiver is
configured to wirelessly receive at least one signal indicative of
or permitting derivation of geospatial position from a portable
digital device or personal computer.
7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one element
comprises at least one sensor arranged to receive or provide at
least one signal indicative of or permitting derivation of
geospatial position.
8. The lighting device of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor
comprises any of an ambient light sensor and an image sensor.
9. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising a body
structure, wherein the at least one electrically activated emitter
and the driver module are arranged in, mounted on, or supported by
the body structure.
10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein the at least one
element is arranged in, mounted on, or supported by the body
structure.
11. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one
electrically activated emitter comprises a plurality of solid state
light emitters.
12. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said altering of
spectral content of emissions of the lighting device alters at
least one of the following: color point of emissions of the
lighting device or color temperature of emissions of the lighting
device.
13. A lighting system comprising: a plurality of lighting devices
comprising a plurality of electrically activated emitters; at least
one element selected from: (a) a user input element, (b) a signal
receiver, and (c) at least one sensor, wherein the at least one
element is arranged to receive or provide at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial position; and
at least one driver module arranged to adjust operation of the
plurality of electrically activated emitters differently on
different days of a year based on the at least one signal and a
predefined or user-defined schedule stored in a memory of the
lighting system, wherein said adjustment alters spectral content of
emissions of the lighting system, and wherein said predefined or
user-defined schedule is configured to alter the spectral content
of the emissions of the lighting system to compensate for yearly
variations in spectral content of natural ambient light.
14. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the at least one
element is additionally arranged to receive or provide at least one
signal indicative of or permitting derivation of any of date, time,
and time zone.
15. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the at least one
element comprises a user input element arranged to provide at least
one signal indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial
position.
16. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the at least one
element comprises a signal receiver arranged to receive at least
one signal indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial
position.
17. The lighting system of claim 16, wherein the signal receiver
comprises any of a GPS receiver, a radio frequency receiver, a WiFi
receiver, a Bluetooth receiver, a ZigBee receiver, a modulated
light receiver, an infrared receiver, and an encoded power line
signal receiver.
18. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the at least one
element comprises at least one sensor arranged to receive or
provide at least one signal indicative of or permitting derivation
of geospatial position.
19. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of
lighting devices includes a first lighting device comprising at
least one first group of solid state light emitters and a second
lighting device comprising at least one second group of solid state
light emitters.
20. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein the first lighting
device includes a signal transmitter arranged to transmit at least
one signal indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial
position from the first lighting device to the second lighting
device.
21. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein the at least one
driver module comprises a first driver module associated with the
first lighting device and comprises a second driver module
associated with the second lighting device, wherein the first
driver module is arranged to drive the at least one first group of
solid state light emitters, and the second driver module is
arranged to drive the at least one second group of solid state
light emitters.
22. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the at least one
element is located remotely from each lighting device of the
plurality of lighting devices.
23. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein said altering of
spectral content of emissions of the lighting system alters at
least one of the following: color point of emissions of the
lighting system or color temperature of emissions of the lighting
system.
24. A lighting system comprising: at least one element selected
from: (a) a user input element, (b) a signal receiver, and (c) at
least one sensor, wherein the at least one element is arranged to
receive or provide at least one first signal indicative of or
permitting derivation of geospatial position; a first lighting
device comprising at least one first electrically activated
emitter, a wireless transmitter arranged to transmit at least one
second signal derived from or including at least a portion of the
at least one first signal, and a first driver module arranged to
adjust operation of the at least one first electrically activated
emitter differently on different days of a year based on the at
least one first signal and a first predefined or user-defined
schedule stored in a memory of the first lighting device, wherein
said adjustment of operation of the at least one first electrically
activated emitter alters spectral content of emissions of the first
lighting device, and wherein said first predefined or user-defined
schedule is configured to alter the spectral content of the
emissions of the first lighting device to compensate for yearly
variations in spectral content of natural ambient light; and a
second lighting device comprising at least one second electrically
activated emitter, a receiver arranged to receive the at least one
second signal from the wireless transmitter, and a second driver
module arranged to adjust operation of the at least one second
electrically activated emitter differently on different days of a
year based on the at least one second signal and a second
predefined or user-defined schedule stored in a memory of the
second lighting device, wherein said adjustment of operation of the
at least one second electrically activated emitter alters spectral
content of emissions of the second lighting device, and wherein
said second predefined or user-defined schedule is configured to
alter the spectral content of the emissions of the second lighting
device to compensate for yearly variations in the spectral content
of natural ambient light.
25. The lighting system of claim 24, wherein the at least one
element is additionally arranged to receive or provide at least one
first signal indicative of or permitting derivation of any of date,
time, and time zone.
26. The lighting system of claim 24, wherein the at least one
element comprises a user input element arranged to provide at least
one first signal indicative of or permitting derivation of
geospatial position.
27. The lighting system of claim 24, wherein the at least one
element comprises a signal receiver arranged to receive at least
one first signal indicative of or permitting derivation of
geospatial position.
28. The lighting system of claim 27, wherein the signal receiver
comprises any of a GPS receiver, a radio frequency receiver, a WiFi
receiver, a Bluetooth receiver, a ZigBee receiver, a modulated
light receiver, an infrared receiver, and an encoded power line
signal receiver.
29. The lighting system of claim 24, wherein the at least one
element comprises at least one sensor arranged to receive or
provide at least one first signal indicative of or permitting
derivation of geospatial position.
30. The lighting system of claim 24, wherein said altering of
spectral content of emissions of the first lighting device alters
at least one of the following: color point of emissions of the
first lighting device or color temperature of emissions of the
first lighting device, and wherein said altering of spectral
content of emissions of the second lighting device alters at least
one of the following: color point of emissions of the second
lighting device or color temperature of emissions of the second
lighting device.
31. A method for operating a lighting device including at least one
electrically activated emitter, the method comprising: receiving by
the lighting device, or providing to the lighting device, at least
one signal indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial
position; establishing a predefined or user-defined schedule
configured to adjust operation of the at least one electrically
activated emitter differently on different days of a year to
compensate for yearly variations in spectral content of natural
ambient light based on the at least one signal, wherein said
adjustment of operation alters spectral content of emissions of the
lighting device; and operating the at least one electrically
activated emitter of the lighting device differently on different
days of a year according to the predefined or user-defined
schedule.
32. The method of claim 31, further comprising: sensing any of an
ambient light condition, a condition of an illuminated space or
surface, and a weather condition; and responsive to said sensing,
performing intraday adjustment of at least one of brightness or
spectral content of light emissions of the lighting device to
modify operation relative to operation of the lighting device
specified in the predefined or user-defined schedule.
33. The method of claim 31, further comprising: receiving by the
lighting device, or providing to the lighting device, at least one
signal indicative of or permitting derivation of at least one of
date or time; and altering the predefined or user-defined schedule
based on the at least one of date or time.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial position is
received by or provided by at least one element selected from: (a)
a user input element, (b) a signal receiver, and (c) at least one
sensor.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein said altering of spectral
content of emissions of the lighting device alters at least one of
the following: color point of emissions of the lighting device or
color temperature of emissions of the lighting device.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
Subject matter herein relates to lighting devices, including
devices with one or more emitters or groups of emitters being
controllable to provide desired effects, and relates to associated
methods of making and using such devices.
BACKGROUND
Combining light sources of different spectra permit lighting
devices to emit a light spectrum of almost any desired energy
content. For example, red light can be combined with unsaturated
green light to yield a light spectrum that renders colors similar
to daylight or similar to incandescence depending on the amount of
accompanying blue light. Using red, green, and blue light sources,
colors from such sources can be combined in any proportion to yield
any aggregate color within the gamut of colors.
Color is the visual effect that is caused by the spectral
composition of the light emitted, transmitted, or reflected by
objects. Human vision is primarily related to color and brightness
(contrast) of the light source, and (if reflected light is present)
the spectrum that is reflected from an object being
illuminated.
As a heated object becomes incandescent, it first glows reddish,
then yellowish, then white, and finally bluish. Thus, apparent
colors of incandescing materials are directly related to their
actual temperature (in Kelvin (K)). Practical materials that
incandesce are said to have correlated color temperature (CCT)
values that are directly related to color temperatures of blackbody
sources. CCT is measured in Kelvin (K) and defined by the
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) as "the
absolute temperature of a blackbody whose chromaticity most nearly
resembles that of the light source." Light having a CCT below 3200K
is yellowish white in character and is generally considered to be
warm white light, whereas light between having a CCT between 3200K
and 4000K is generally considered to be neutral white light, and
light having a CCT above 4000K is bluish white in character and
generally considered to be cool white light.
It is important that lighting be of appropriate intensity for the
task at hand and also have appropriate color rendering
characteristics. For most daytime tasks, light sources (whether
artificial or natural) should have high intensity and high color
rendering. Conversely, for sleeping, light should have very low
levels. The color differentiation of night vision is very low.
Light affects circadian rhythms. Human physiology responds
non-visually to the presence or absence of certain wavelengths. For
example, blue light is known to suppress melatonin, and ultraviolet
rays are known to damage the skin. The intensity of light and the
spectral content of light have a strong effect on the human
circadian rhythms. These circadian rhythms are ideally synchronized
with the natural light.
Circadian rhythm disorders may be associated with change in
nocturnal activity (e.g., nighttime shift workers), change in
longitude (e.g., jet lag), and/or seasonal change in light duration
(e.g., seasonal affective disorder, with symptoms including
depression). In 2007, the World Health Organization named late
night shift work as a probable cancer-causing agent. Melatonin is
an anti-oxidant and suppressant of tumor development; accordingly,
interference with melatonin levels may increase the likelihood of
developing cancer. Methods involving stimulus with artificial light
sources to modify the phase and amplitude of a human circadian
cycle (e.g., for resetting purposes) have been developed, such as
disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0106437A1
to Czeisler et al.
Artificial light sometimes includes too much blue light in the
evening, which suppresses melatonin and hinders restful sleep. It
is principally blue light (e.g., including blue light at a peak
wavelength value between 460 to 480 nm, with some activity from
about 360 nm to about 600 nm), that suppresses melatonin and
synchronizes the circadian clock, proportional to the light
intensity and length of exposure. Exposure to artificial light
during the night may inhibit a person from falling to sleep or
returning to sleep, and may also cause a temporary loss of night
vision.
Natural light varies with respect to intensity and/or color
temperature depending on the season, latitude, altitude, time of
day, and weather conditions. Natural light variation due to season
and geographic location may be understood with reference to FIG. 1,
which plots hours of daylight per day as a function of latitude and
time of year. Natural light also varies each day with respect to
intensity and color temperature. The changing color temperature of
sunlight over the course of the day is mainly a result of
scattering of light, rather than changes in black-body radiation.
Ignoring variations due to weather conditions, natural light
intensity typically is low at sunrise, increases through
mid-morning to a high level at mid-day, and then decreases in
mid-afternoon to evening to a low level at sunset. Color
temperature also varies in a predicable manner. During sunrise and
sunset, color temperature tends to be around 2,000K; an
intermediate CCT value of around 3,500K is exhibited shortly after
sunrise or before sunset (when daylight is redder and softer
compared to when the Sun is higher in the sky); and a color
temperature of around 5,400K is exhibited around noontime. Color
temperatures for various daylight sources are tabulated in FIG. 2.
Low (or warm) color temperatures are consistent with reduced blue
content, while higher (or cool) color temperatures are consistent
with increased blue content.
Generally, a light that is dim and exhibits a low (warm) color
temperature promotes restfulness (e.g., such as may be desirable in
the evening and night before sleep), and a light that is bright and
exhibits a high (cool) color temperature promotes alertness (such
as may be desirable in the morning and during the day). A light
having a very low intensity and a very low color temperature would
least interfere with a person returning to sleep after being
awakened in the middle of the night.
Color changing lights are known in the art. One example of a color
changing light bulb is the Philips "Hue" bulb (Koninklijke Philips
N. V., Eindhoven, the Netherlands). Such bulbs permit different
colors, color temperatures, and/or intensities of light to be
selected by a user via a computer or portable electronic
device.
Despite the availability of color changing lights, it can be
difficult for users to program lighting devices to obtain desired
illumination conditions that take into account variations in
natural light that may be attributable to multiple factors such as
the season, latitude, time of day, and weather conditions.
It would be desirable to provide lighting devices and methods that
address limitations of conventional lighting devices and
methods.
SUMMARY
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to lighting devices and
lighting systems arranged to receive or determine information
indicative of geospatial or geographic location (and optionally
additional information such as time, time zone, and/or date) and
automatically adjust one or more light output parameters based at
least in part on such information to operate one or more
electrically activated emitters differently on different days of a
year. A lighting device may include a memory and a processor to
permit information to be stored and processed. At least one of a
user input element, a signal receiver, and one or more sensors may
be arranged to receive or provide a signal indicative of or
permitting derivation of geospatial position. Examples of light
output parameters that may be adjusted include color point of
emissions, color temperature of emissions, spectral content of
emissions, luminous flux of emissions, and operating time.
Artificial light may be provided based on expected and/or sensed
natural light conditions. In certain embodiments, a lighting device
or lighting system may provide light of a brightness level and
spectral content appropriate for the location (and preferably also
appropriate for the time of day, day of week, and season). In
certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system may
further be adjusted to compensate for presence, absence, intensity,
and/or color point of natural ambient light. In certain
embodiments, a lighting device may determine a geospatial location,
determine a date and/or time, and set a base schedule for operating
the lighting device based on the geospatial location and the
date/time. When the lighting device remains located at a given
geospatial position, the base schedule in such embodiment may be
reestablished on a periodic (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, or
seasonally) basis and automatically altered from day to day, from
week to week, from month to month, or from season to season such
that one or more electrically activated emitters are operated
differently on different days of a year. Additionally, brightness
and/or spectral content of the emissions of the lighting device may
be further adjusted intraday based on sensed ambient conditions,
sensed conditions of an illuminated space or surface, information
indicative of weather conditions, and/or user inputs.
In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a lighting device
comprising: at least one electrically activated emitter; at least
one element selected from: (a) a user input element, (b) a signal
receiver, and (c) at least one sensor, wherein the at least one
element is arranged to receive or provide at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial position; and
a driver module arranged to adjust operation of the at least one
electrically activated emitter differently on different days of a
year based on the at least one signal, wherein said adjustment
alters at least one of the following: color point of emissions of
the lighting device, color temperature of emissions of the lighting
device, spectral content of emissions of the lighting device,
luminous flux of emissions of the lighting device, and operating
time of the lighting device. In certain embodiments, the at least
one element is additionally arranged to receive or provide at least
one signal indicative of or permitting derivation of any of date,
time, and time zone. In certain embodiments, the at least one
element includes any of a GPS receiver, a radio frequency receiver,
a WiFi receiver, a Bluetooth receiver, a ZigBee receiver, a
modulated light receiver, an infrared receiver, and an encoded
power line signal receiver. A signal receiver may be arranged to
receive at least one signal indicative of or permitting derivation
of geospatial position. In certain embodiments, a signal receiver
is configured to wirelessly receive at least one signal indicative
of or permitting derivation of geospatial position from a portable
digital device or personal computer. In certain embodiments, one,
some, or all of at least one electrically activated emitter, a
driver module, a user input element, a signal receiver, and at
least one sensor may be arranged in, mounted on, or supported by a
body structure of a lighting device.
In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a lighting system
comprising: a plurality of lighting devices comprising a plurality
of electrically activated emitters; at least one element selected
from: (a) a user input element, (b) a signal receiver, and (c) at
least one sensor, wherein the at least one element is arranged to
receive or provide at least one signal indicative of or permitting
derivation of geospatial position; and at least one driver module
arranged to adjust operation of the plurality of electrically
activated emitters differently on different days of a year based on
the at least one signal, wherein said adjustment alters at least
one of the following: color point of emissions of the lighting
system, color temperature of emissions of the lighting system,
spectral content of emissions of the lighting system, luminous flux
of emissions of the lighting system, and operating time of the
lighting system. In certain embodiments, the at least one element
is additionally arranged to receive or provide at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of any of date, time, and
time zone. The at least one element may be arranged remotely from
each lighting device of the plurality of lighting devices. In
certain embodiments, the first lighting device includes a signal
transmitter arranged to transmit at least one signal indicative of
or permitting derivation of geospatial position from the first
lighting device to the second lighting device. In certain
embodiments, the at least one element includes any of a GPS
receiver, a radio frequency receiver, a WiFi receiver, a Bluetooth
receiver, a ZigBee receiver, a modulated light receiver, an
infrared receiver, and an encoded power line signal receiver. A
signal receiver may be arranged to receive at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial position. In
certain embodiments, a signal receiver is configured to wirelessly
receive at least one signal indicative of or permitting derivation
of geospatial position from a portable digital device or personal
computer. In certain embodiments, a first driver module is
associated with the first lighting device, a second driver module
is associated with the second lighting device, the first driver
module is arranged to drive a first group of solid state light
emitters, and the second driver module is arranged to drive a
second group of solid state light emitters.
In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a lighting system
comprising: at least one element selected from: (a) a user input
element, (b) a signal receiver, and (c) at least one sensor,
wherein the at least one element is arranged to receive or provide
at least one first signal indicative of or permitting derivation of
geospatial position; a first lighting device comprising at least
one first electrically activated emitter, a first wireless
transmitter arranged to transmit at least one second signal derived
from or including at least a portion of the at least one first
signal, and a first driver module arranged to adjust operation of
the at least one first electrically activated emitter differently
on different days of a year based on the at least one first signal,
wherein said adjustment of operation of the at least one first
electrically activated emitter alters at least one of the
following: color point of emissions of the first lighting device,
color temperature of emissions of the first lighting device,
spectral content of emissions of the first lighting device,
luminous flux of emissions of the first lighting device, and
operating time of the first lighting device; and a second lighting
device comprising at least one second electrically activated
emitter, a second receiver arranged to receive the at least one
second signal from the first wireless transmitter, and a second
driver module arranged to adjust operation of the at least one
second electrically activated emitter differently on different days
of a year based on the at least one second signal, wherein said
adjustment of operation of the at least one second electrically
activated emitter alters at least one of the following: color point
of emissions of the second lighting device, color temperature of
emissions of the second lighting device, spectral content of
emissions of the second lighting device, luminous flux of emissions
of the second lighting device, and operating time of the second
lighting device. In certain embodiments, the at least one element
is additionally arranged to receive or provide at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of any of date, time, and
time zone. In certain embodiments, a signal receiver comprises any
of a GPS receiver, a radio frequency receiver, a WiFi receiver, a
Bluetooth receiver, a ZigBee receiver, a modulated light receiver,
an infrared receiver, and an encoded power line signal
receiver.
In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for
operating a lighting device including at least one electrically
activated emitter, the method comprising: receiving by the lighting
device, or providing to the lighting device, at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial position;
establishing a base schedule configured to adjust operation of the
at least one electrically activated emitter differently on
different days of a year based on the at least one signal, wherein
said adjustment of operation alters at least one of the following:
color point of emissions of the lighting device, color temperature
of emissions of the lighting device, spectral content of emissions
of the lighting device, luminous flux of emissions of the lighting
device, and operating time of the lighting device; and operating
the at least one electrically activated emitter of the lighting
device differently on different days of a year according to the
base schedule. In certain embodiments, the method further comprises
sensing any of an ambient light condition, a condition of an
illuminated space or surface, and a weather condition; and
responsive to said sensing, performing intraday adjustment of
brightness and/or spectral content of light emissions of the
lighting device to modify operation relative to operation of the
lighting device specified in the base schedule. In certain
embodiments, the method further comprises receiving by the lighting
device, or providing to the lighting device, at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of at least one of date and
time; and altering the base schedule based on the at least one of
date and time. In certain embodiments, the at least one signal
indicative of or permitting derivation of geospatial position is
received by or provided by at least one element selected from: (a)
a user input element, (b) a signal receiver, and (c) at least one
sensor.
In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method
comprising illuminating an object, a space, or an environment,
utilizing a lighting device as described herein.
In another aspect, any of the foregoing aspects, and/or various
separate aspects and features as described herein, may be combined
for additional advantage. Any of the various features and elements
as disclosed herein may be combined with one or more other
disclosed features and elements unless indicated to the contrary
herein.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the present
disclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the
following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in
association with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of
this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure,
and together with the description serve to explain the principles
of the disclosure.
FIG. 1 is a contour plot of hours of daylight as a function of
latitude and day of the year.
FIG. 2 is a table providing color temperatures for various daylight
sources.
FIG. 3 is a table identifying, for different times of day, ambient
light, desired aptitude, and possible artificial light intensity
levels and CCT values that may promote wellness when used with
lighting devices and systems according to one embodiment of the
disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic showing interconnections within
and between two lighting devices of a lighting system according to
one embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates functional steps for operating
a lighting device or lighting system according to one embodiment of
the disclosure.
FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional perspective view of a troffer-based
lighting fixture according to one embodiment of the disclosure,
illustrating how light emanates from emitters of the light fixture
and is reflected to be transmitted through lenses of the lighting
fixture.
FIG. 6B illustrates a driver module provided in an electronics
housing of the lighting fixture of FIG. 6A and a communication
module in an associated housing coupled to the exterior of the
electronics housing according to one embodiment of the
disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a lighting system according to one
embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a communication module according to
one embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a first exemplary
LED useable with lighting devices and systems according to the
disclosure.
FIG. 10 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a second exemplary
LED useable with lighting devices and systems according to the
disclosure.
FIG. 11 illustrates a portion of a CIE 1976 chromaticity diagram
including the blackbody locus, with addition of a triangle defined
by color points of a first blue-shifted yellow LED, a second
blue-shifted yellow LED, and a red LED.
FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a driver module and a LED array
including multiple separately controllable strings of LEDs
according to one embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 13A is a top perspective view of a solid state emitter package
including four solid state emitter chips arranged over a substrate,
covered with a hemispherical lens, and connected to electrical
traces via wirebonds.
FIG. 13B is a bottom plan view of the solid state emitter package
of FIG. 13A including four anodes and four cathodes arranged along
opposing sides of a substrate, and a centrally arranged thermally
conductive contact pad.
FIG. 14A is a schematic view of at least a portion of a first LED
array including first and second LEDs arranged on a single submount
or substrate.
FIG. 14B is a schematic view of at least a portion of a second LED
array including first and second LEDs arranged on a single submount
or substrate.
FIG. 14C is a schematic view of a at least a portion of a third LED
array including a first pair of LEDs arranged in a first mounting
region and another LED arranged in a second mounting region, all
arranged on a single submount or substrate.
FIG. 14D is a schematic view of at least a portion of a fourth LED
array including a pair of LEDs arranged in a first mounting region
and another LED arranged in a second mounting region, all arranged
on a single submount or substrate.
FIG. 14E is a schematic view of at least a portion of a fifth LED
array including a first pair of LEDs arranged in a first mounting
region and another pair of LEDs arranged in a second mounting
region, all arranged on a single submount or substrate.
FIG. 14F is a schematic view of at least a portion of a sixth LED
array including a first pair of LEDs arranged in a first mounting
region and another pair of LEDs arranged in a second mounting
region, all arranged on a single submount or substrate.
FIG. 15 is a side cross-sectional view of a first light bulb
arranged to incorporate multiple solid state emitter chips as
disclosed herein.
FIG. 16 is a side cross-sectional view of a second, reflector-type
light bulb arranged to incorporate at least one emitter chip as
disclosed herein.
FIG. 17 is a side cross-sectional view of a third light bulb
arranged to incorporate multiple solid state emitter chips as
disclosed herein in a tower-type configuration.
FIG. 18A is a lower perspective view of an outdoor floodlight
(e.g., street or roadway lamp) including multiple solid state
emitters as described herein.
FIG. 18B is an upper perspective view of the outdoor floodlight of
FIG. 18A.
FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of an interior space with a lighting
device including multiple electrically activated emitters as
described herein arranged to illuminate an indoor environment.
FIG. 20 is a side elevation view of a desk lamp or table lamp
including multiple electrically activated emitters as described
herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information
to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and
illustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon
reading the following description in light of the accompanying
drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the
concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these
concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood
that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the
disclosure and the accompanying claims.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.
may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements
should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to
distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element
could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element
could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope
of the present disclosure. As used herein, the term "and/or"
includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated
listed items.
Relative terms such as "below" or "above" or "upper" or "lower" or
"horizontal" or "vertical" may be used herein to describe a
relationship of one element, layer, or region to another element,
layer, or region as illustrated in the figures. It will be
understood that these terms and those discussed above are intended
to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to
the orientation depicted in the figures.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," and/or
"including" when used herein specify the presence of stated
features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components,
but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other
features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or
groups thereof.
The terms "electrically activated emitter" and "emitter" as used
herein refers to any device capable of producing visible or near
visible (e.g., from infrared to ultraviolet) wavelength radiation,
including but not limited to, xenon lamps, mercury lamps, sodium
lamps, incandescent lamps, and solid state emitters--including
light emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light emitting diodes
(OLEDs), and lasers.
The terms "solid state light emitter" or "solid state emitter"
(which may be qualified as being "electrically activated") may
include a LED, laser diode, OLED diode, and/or other semiconductor
device which includes one or more semiconductor layers, which may
include silicon, silicon carbide, gallium nitride and/or other
semiconductor materials, a substrate which may include sapphire,
silicon, silicon carbide and/or other microelectronic substrates,
and one or more contact layers which may include metal and/or other
conductive materials.
Solid state light emitting devices according to embodiments of the
present disclosure may include, but are not limited to, III-V
nitride based LED chips or laser chips fabricated on a silicon,
silicon carbide, sapphire, or III-V nitride growth substrate,
including (for example) devices manufactured and sold by Cree, Inc.
of Durham, N.C. Solid state light emitters may be used individually
or in groups to emit one or more beams to stimulate emissions of
one or more lumiphoric materials (e.g., phosphors, scintillators,
lumiphoric inks, quantum dots, day glow tapes, etc.) to generate
light at one or more peak wavelength(s), or of at least one desired
perceived color (including combinations of colors that may be
perceived as white). Lumiphoric materials may be provided in the
form of particles, films, or sheets.
Inclusion of lumiphoric (also called `luminescent`) materials in
lighting devices as described herein may be accomplished by any
suitable means, including: direct coating on solid state emitters,
dispersal in encapsulant materials arranged to cover solid state
emitters; coating on lumiphor support elements (e.g., by powder
coating, inkjet printing, or the like); incorporation into
diffusers or lenses; and the like.
The expressions "lighting device" and "light emitting device" as
used herein are not limited, except that such elements are capable
of emitting light. That is, a lighting device can be a device which
illuminates an area or volume, e.g., a structure, a swimming pool
or spa, a room, a warehouse, an indicator, a road, a parking lot,
or a vehicle, signage, (e.g., road signs or a billboard), a ship, a
toy, a mirror, a vessel, an electronic device, a boat, an aircraft,
a stadium, a computer, a remote audio device, a remote video
device, a cell phone, a tree, a window, a LCD display, a cave, a
tunnel, a yard, a lamppost, or a device or array of devices that
illuminate an enclosure, or a device that is used for edge or
back-lighting (e.g., backlight poster, signage, LCD displays),
light bulbs, bulb replacements (e.g., for replacing AC incandescent
lights, low voltage lights, fluorescent lights, etc.), outdoor
lighting, street lighting, security lighting, exterior residential
lighting (wall mounts, post/column mounts), ceiling fixtures/wall
sconces, under cabinet lighting, lamps (floor and/or table and/or
desk), landscape lighting, track lighting, task lighting, specialty
lighting, ceiling fan lighting, archival/art display lighting, high
vibration/impact lighting-work lights, etc., mirrors/vanity
lighting, or any other light emitting devices. An illuminated area
may include at least one of the foregoing items. In certain
embodiments, lighting devices as disclosed herein may be
self-ballasted. In certain embodiments, a light emitting device may
be embodied in a light bulb or a light fixture. In certain
embodiments, a "lighting system" may include one lighting device or
multiple lighting devices. In preferred embodiments, a "solid state
lighting device" is devoid of any incandescent light emitting
element.
Methods include illuminating an object, a space, or an environment,
utilizing one or more lighting devices or lighting systems as
disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, a lighting device as
disclosed herein includes multiple LED components arranged in an
array (e.g., a two-dimensional array).
Disclosed herein are lighting devices and lighting systems arranged
to receive or determine information indicative of geospatial or
geographic location (and optionally additional information such as
time, time zone, and/or date) and automatically adjust one or more
light output parameters based at least in part on such information
to operate one or more electrically activated emitters differently
on different days of a year. Light output parameters that may be
adjusted according to certain embodiments include color point of
emissions, color temperature of emissions, spectral content of
emissions, luminous flux of emissions, and operating time. In
certain embodiments, a lighting system may include multiple
lighting devices. In certain embodiments, a lighting device may
provide light of a brightness level and spectral content (e.g.,
color point and/or color temperature) appropriate for the location
(and preferably also appropriate for the time of day, day of week,
and season). In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting
system may further be adjusted to compensate for presence, absence,
intensity, and/or color point of natural ambient light.
In certain embodiments, adjustment of one or more light output
parameters based at least in part on geospatial position on
different days of year includes scheduled variation from week to
week, variation from month to month, and/or variation from season
to season. In certain embodiments, variation of light output
parameters other than mere variation between weekday and weekend
operating states, and variation of light output parameters other
than semi-annual variation in daylight savings time, are
contemplated. When the lighting device remains located at a given
geospatial position, a base schedule for operation of emitters of
the lighting device may be reestablished or automatically altered
from day to day, from week to week, from month to month, or from
season to season such that one or more electrically activated
emitters are operated differently on different days of a year.
Determination of Geospatial Position, Date, and/or Time
In certain embodiments, a signal used by a lighting device or
lighting system, and indicative of or permitting derivation of
geospatial position, is provided by at least one of a user input
element, a signal receiver, and one or more sensors. In certain
embodiments, any one or more of a user input element, a signal
receiver, and one or more sensors may be arranged in, arranged on,
or supported by a body structure of a lighting device. In certain
embodiments, any one or more of a user input element, a signal
receiver, and one or more sensors may be physically separated from
a body structure containing emitters of a lighting device, but may
be arranged in communication with a driver module of a lighting
device via wireless or wired communication.
Since a lighting device or lighting system as disclosed herein can
automatically determine its geospatial position (and optionally,
time zone and date), in certain embodiments, a lighting device can
automatically adjust its light output parameters in a manner
suitable for the geospatial position, and preferably also in a
manner suitable for the current date and time.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system
includes, or is arranged in at least intermittent communication
with, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that is arranged
to receive global positioning coordinates (e.g., latitude and/or
longitude coordinates) or other information as indicative of
geospatial position. A GPS receiver may also provide accurate time
and date information useable by the lighting device or lighting
system. In certain embodiments, a GPS receiver of a lighting device
(e.g., an outdoor floodlight) is positioned in direct line-of-sight
communication with a GPS satellite. In certain embodiments, a GPS
receiver is positioned remotely from a lighting device but is
arranged to communicate a received GPS signal to the lighting
device via either wired or wireless transmission.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device may be arranged to
communicate with an electronic device that includes location
sensing capability, and the lighting device may obtain location
information (and/or date and time information) from the electronic
device. In certain embodiments, such an electronic device may
embody a smartphone or other portable digital device having
integrated GPS, WiFi, and/or cellular communication capabilities
that provide the portable digital device with location information,
and such location information may be communicated to a lighting
device by either wireless or wired means (e.g., temporarily via a
cord and an appropriate communication port such as described
hereinafter). In certain embodiments, a user may download software
(such as may be embodied in a software application) that
facilitates communication between an electronic device with
communication capability and a lighting device as disclosed
herein.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system
includes, or is arranged in at least intermittent communication
with, a signal receiver arranged to receive a signal and extract at
least one Internet Protocol (IP) address from one or more proximate
IP-enabled servers, routers, or other devices in order to at least
approximately determine geospatial position and/or time and date
information. Such signal may be received via wireless (e.g., radio
frequency or modulated light) or wired means. In certain
embodiments, a lighting device includes a radio frequency receiver.
In certain embodiments, a signal may be received via WiFi, ZigBee,
Bluetooth, infrared, modulated light, audio tone, Ethernet, or
another wired or wireless connection. In the same manner that
webpages determine the geographic area of a user by checking which
ISP is connected to the computer, a lighting device or lighting
system may be arranged to receive a signal with IP address
information and utilize such information to determine at least
approximate geospatial position. In certain embodiments, a signal
receiver may also receive time and date information from one or
more proximate IP-enabled servers, routers, or other devices.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system may
receive information indicative of, or permitting derivation of,
geospatial position, as well as date and/or time information, by
reception of broadcast radio and/or broadcast television signals.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device may include a broadcast
radio and/or a broadcast television signal receiver, and may
include a demultiplexer or other signal decoder arranged to extract
position-identifying information, date information, and/or time
information encoded in the broadcast radio or broadcast television
signal. In certain embodiments, a lighting device includes a FM
receiver and may be arranged to receive signals including digital
information encoded according to the Radio Data System (RDS)
protocol or the Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) protocol,
wherein encoded information may include clock time, date, program
identification (identifying the station), and the like. Signals
according to other radio or television protocols may be used. In
certain embodiments, a lighting device may receive multiple
broadcast television (of analog and/or digital varieties) and/or
broadcast radio signals (of analog and/or digital varieties) and
perform triangulation based on relative signal strength to
determine geospatial location.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system may
receive information indicative of, or permitting derivation of,
geospatial position, as well as date and/or time information, via
signals encoded on a power line. In certain embodiments, a lighting
device may include a demultiplexer or other signal decoder arranged
to extract position-identifying information, date information,
and/or time information encoded in a power signal (e.g.,
alternating current power signal) supplied to the lighting
device.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system
includes, or is arranged in at least intermittent communication
with, a light sensor arranged to receive ambient light (e.g.,
daylight) in order to permit determination of geospatial position.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device may receive and store an
ambient light signal, and analyze such information gathered over
time to determine (at least approximate) geospatial position. In
certain embodiments, an ambient light (or daylight) sensor may
enable calculation or estimation of geospatial position based on
when natural light first appears, duration of presence of natural
light, and how the light varies over time (e.g., both intraday and
in longer time scales such as from day to day and from month to
month). In certain embodiments, determination of geospatial
position from sensed light may exclude fast changes in light level
such as those caused by moving shadows or by artificial lights that
are activated or deactivated in an instantaneous manner. In certain
embodiments, a light sensor may examine the spectral content of
received light to determine its "naturalness" (e.g., whether the
received light embodies or includes spectral content consistent
with daylight, or whether the received light is representative of
artificial light). In certain embodiments, determination of
geospatial position from information received by a light sensor may
utilize one or more items of additional information, such as date,
time, time zone, postal code, country code, telephone area code, IP
address of a proximate device, or a similar parameter. Such
additional information may be gathered by one or more sensors, user
input elements, and/or signal receivers.
In certain embodiments, determination of geospatial position may be
further aided with an altitude and/or pressure sensor, since
altitude can affect light conditions.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system is
arranged to receive from a user input element a signal indicative
of, or permitting derivation of, geospatial position. In certain
embodiments, a user input element may be integrated with a lighting
device; alternatively, a user input element may be separable from a
lighting device and communicate signals via wired or wireless
communication.
In certain embodiments, a user input element may include or embody
a remote controller arranged to communicate with a lighting device
via an infrared, radio frequency, or other wireless signal type. In
certain embodiments, a user input element may include or embody a
general purpose portable digital device such as a smartphone,
tablet computer, personal computer, laptop, or the like, arranged
to operate software and permitting wired or wireless communication
with a lighting device (e.g., via Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, or other
signal types). In certain embodiments, a lighting device may
receive from a user input element geospatial position or
information indicative thereof, optionally in conjunction with
lighting device configuration and/or operating information that may
be entered or modified by a user. In certain embodiments, a
lighting device may receive from a user input element automatically
obtained information or user-entered information such as a GPS
signal, an IP address, a time zone, a telephone area code, a postal
code, a country code or name, a state or province code or name, a
latitude, a longitude, or the like, to permit a lighting device to
determine or derive geospatial position.
In certain embodiments, a user input element may be arranged to
communicate with a lighting device via wired communication. In
certain embodiments, a body structure associated with a lighting
device may include one or more buttons, sliders, dials, touchpads,
or the like to receive input signals from a user. In certain
embodiments, a lighting device may include a wired communication
port (e.g., USB, Ethernet, Firewire, or the like) arranged to
receive a cord for attachment to an input device such as a
smartphone, tablet computer, personal computer, laptop, or the
like.
Utilization of Sensors
In certain embodiments, any one or more of various types of sensors
may be included in, or in at least intermittent communication with,
a lighting device or lighting system. In certain embodiments, a
lighting device may have associated therewith at least one of an
ambient light sensor (e.g., arranged to sense intensity and/or
spectral content of ambient light), an occupancy sensor (e.g.,
arranged to detect a condition indicating that an illuminated space
is or is not occupied by at least one person), an image sensor
(e.g., still or video), a sound sensor (e.g., microphone), and a
temperature sensor (e.g., thermistor). If multiple sensors are
provided, they may be used to sense the same or different
environmental conditions. If multiple sensors are used to sense the
same environmental conditions, different types of sensors may be
used. In certain embodiments, one or more sensors may be arranged
in a sensor module arranged in or on a lighting device. In certain
embodiments, one or more sensors may be arranged remotely from a
lighting device but in communication with the lighting device via
wired or wireless signal transmission.
In certain embodiments, one or more sensors may be integrated with
or arranged in communication with a personal computer, a portable
digital device (e.g., a smartphone), or a remote controller, and
signals derived from such sensor(s) may be communicated to a
lighting device to be used by the lighting device. Communication
between a lighting device and one or more remotely arranged sensors
(e.g., associated with a smartphone) may be updated substantially
continuously, updated periodically according to a predefined or
user-defined schedule, or may be updated in response to a user
command.
As noted previously, one or more sensors may be used in determining
geospatial position and/or date or time, and a base schedule for
operating a lighting device may be established based on geospatial
location and the date/time. Such base schedule may be reestablished
on a periodic basis and automatically altered from day to day, from
week to week, from month to month, or from season to season so that
one or more electrically activated emitters are operated
differently on different days of a year. Additionally, one or more
sensors may be used to sense ambient conditions and/or conditions
of an illuminated space or surface, and such sensed conditions may
be used to facilitate intraday adjustment of brightness and/or
spectral content of the emissions of the lighting device relative
to operation according to a base schedule previously established
and in effect for that day.
If provided, an ambient light sensor may take on different
configurations. In a first configuration, an ambient light sensor
may be separate from emitters of a lighting device and associated
with control circuitry to facilitate monitoring of the ambient
light characteristic. An ambient light sensor may be a specially
configured light sensor or another LED that is configured to
generate a current indicative of the ambient light characteristic
in response to being exposed to the ambient light. If a plurality
of LEDs are driven with pulses of current, then an ambient light
characteristic may be monitored between any two pulses of current.
Alternatively, one or more main LEDs may be used by the control
circuitry to monitor the ambient light characteristic, such as by
monitoring ambient light between any two pulses of LED drive
current.
If provided, an occupancy sensor may be used to determine a
condition indicating presence or absence of at least one person in
an illuminated space. In certain embodiments, detection of a
condition indicating that an illuminated space is not occupied may
be used to terminate or alter operation of a lighting device.
The intensity and spectral output of the light emitted by
electrically activated emitters (e.g., LEDs) may be affected by
temperature. In certain embodiments, a temperature sensor
associated with a lighting device may be used to sense temperature
of one or more emitters, and current to the emitters may be
controlled based on the sensed temperature in an effort to
compensate for temperature effects.
In certain embodiments, output of an ambient light sensor and/or an
image sensor may be used to promote efficient operation of a
lighting device while maintaining a desired threshold of color
rendering index (CRI) of light in or on an illuminated region or
surface. For example, a lighting device may include a high CRI
emitter having a relatively low efficiency, in combination with a
lower CRI emitter having a relatively high efficiency. If ambient
light of sufficiently high CRI is detected in sufficient amount in
or on a region or surface, then it may be possible to drive a high
efficiency but low CRI emitter with increased current (and reduced
current to the high CRI but low efficiency emitter) to achieve
desired illumination with acceptably high CRI, thereby promoting
efficiency operation.
Adjustment of Light Output Parameters
As noted previously, one or more light output parameters of a
lighting device may be adjusted at least in part based on
information indicative of geospatial or geographic location, and
optionally additional information such as time, time zone, and/or
date. Examples of light output parameters that may be adjusted
include color point of emissions, color temperature of emissions,
spectral content of emissions, intensity or luminous flux of
emissions, and operating time. In certain embodiments, a lighting
device includes multiple independently controllable emitters (or
groups of emitters) having different color points. By altering
proportion of current to different emitters having different color
points, a lighting device may be adjusted to produce aggregate
emissions of a range of different colors and/or color
temperatures.
In certain embodiments, a base schedule for a lighting device may
be configured to promote wellness by providing output that promotes
alertness in morning to afternoon hours, that promotes alertness
and relaxation in mid-afternoon to evening hours, that promotes
relaxation and sleepiness in late evening to bedtime hours, and
that does not interfere with sleeping and/or does not interfere
with night vision from midnight to dawn hours. FIG. 3 is a table
identifying, for different times of day, ambient light, desired
aptitude, and possible artificial light intensity levels and CCT
values that may promote wellness when used with lighting devices
and systems according to one embodiment of the disclosure. It is
known that exposure to light of high intensity and high color
temperature promotes alertness; accordingly, a lighting device may
output high intensity emissions of a color temperature in excess of
6000K from dawn to mid-morning to promote wakefulness. A somewhat
lower color temperature (in a range of from 3500K to 5000K, or from
4000K to 5000K) with sustained high intensity may be output from
mid-day through the afternoon to promote alertness. Progressing
into the evening, a lighting device may output emissions of lower
intensity and a lower (warmer) color temperature (e.g., from 2000K
to 3000K) with reduced blue spectral content to avoid melatonin
suppression, and thereby promote relaxation prior to bedtime. In
the middle of the night to dawn, a lighting device may output
emissions of very low intensity and with a very low color
temperature (e.g., below 1500K) to avoid interference with sleep
and avoid loss of night vision in case a person's sleep is
interrupted. The preceding variation in intensity and color
temperature of a lighting device may be controlled by a base
schedule.
In certain embodiments, a base schedule for operation of a lighting
device or lighting system may be altered or programmed by a user,
such as by using one or more user input elements. For example, a
user that is required to work during evening hours and to sleep
during daytime hours may program a lighting device to output
emissions having a high intensity and a high color temperature
during evening hours to promote alertness while the user is
working, with a transition to lower intensity and lower color
temperature to a time allotted for the user to sleep. In certain
embodiments, a user may simply shift a base schedule by a selected
number of hours, based on a selected wake-up time, a selected time
to bed, and/or a selected period for work or other activity
requiring alertness.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device may be configured to
accept user inputs to initiate actions, to accept user inputs to
adjust response of a lighting device to time of day, and/or accept
user inputs to adjust response to an ambient lighting
condition.
In certain embodiments, color temperature of a lighting device may
be synchronized to local variation of ambient light color
temperature with respect to geographic location or geospatial
position, time of day, and day of year. For example, a lighting
device may emulate natural outdoor light levels and color spectral
content when it is dawn, dusk, and midday, with such emulation
matched to the geospatial position or geographic location of the
lighting device.
In other embodiments, a base schedule of a lighting device may be
modified, or an alternate base schedule may be selected, to
mitigate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder by providing
increased intensity and/or color temperature of light at at least
certain times of day. In certain embodiments, a lighting device may
detect that it is located in a geographic location or geospatial
position consistent with increased incidence of seasonal affective
disorder, and either prompt a user to select, or automatically
initiate operation of, a base schedule suitable to mitigate
symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
Communication with and Between Lighting Devices
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system
includes at least one signal transmitter and/or receiver, such as
may be optionally embodied in at least one transceiver. In certain
embodiments, a transmitter and/or receiver may be arranged to
transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device may communicate with one
or more other lighting devices such that the devices can share
information. This may be useful when a first lighting device lacks
a clear connection to a desired GPS signal, user input, other
external signal, or other sensory input, but when a second lighting
device has a clear connection. In such an instance, the second
lighting device may receive a signal from a GPS satellite, a user
input device, a RF receiver, or one or more sensors, and the second
lighting device may transmit the received information to the first
lighting device to permit the first lighting device to take
appropriate action (e.g., update geospatial position, update
time/date, adjust base schedule, and/or adjust operating state). In
certain embodiments, lighting devices may communicate with one
another via signals encoded on a power line. Thus, via either wired
or wireless communication, one lighting device may propagate
information to one or more other lighting devices, and the shared
information may be used to automatically adjust one or more light
output parameters to cause the lighting devices to operate one or
more electrically activated emitters differently on different days
of a year.
Features of Exemplary Lighting Devices, Systems, and Methods
Additional features of lighting devices, lighting systems, and
related methods according to the present disclosure may be
understood with reference to FIGS. 4-17.
FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic showing interconnections within
and between two lighting devices 10A, 10B of a lighting system 5
according to one embodiment. The first lighting device 10A includes
a driver module 30A, one or more sensors 40A, a user input element
15A, a communication module 32A, a transceiver 18A, and one or more
emitter groups 20A. The second lighting device 10B includes a
driver module 30B, one or more sensors 40B, a user input element
15B, a communication module 32B, a transceiver 18B, and one or more
emitter groups 20B. One or more remote sensors 41 and one or more
remote input elements 17 may be arranged in at least intermittent
communication with one or more of the lighting devices 10A,
10B.
Within each lighting device 10A, 10B, the respective emitter groups
20A, 20B preferably include multiple electrically activated
emitters, and more preferably include multiple solid state emitters
arranged to output different color points. By altering proportion
of current to different emitters having different color points, a
lighting device may be adjusted to produce aggregate emissions of a
range of different colors and/or color temperatures. The driver
module 30A, 30B of each lighting device 10A, 10B is arranged to
drive emitters of emitter group(s) 20A, 20B of the respective
lighting device 10A, 10B. In certain embodiments, the driver module
30A, 30B provides the primary intelligence for the respective
lighting device 10A, 10B and is capable of driving emitters of the
emitter groups 20A, 20B, in a desired fashion. Each driver module
30A, 30B may be embodied in a single, integrated module or divided
into two or more sub-modules as desired.
When a driver module 30A, 30B provides the primary intelligence for
its respective lighting device 10A, 10B, the communication module
32A, 32B may act as an intelligent communication interface to
facilitate communications between the driver module 30A, 30B and
one or more remote sensors 41 and/or one or more remote input
elements 17. The remote sensor(s) 41 and/or remote input element(s)
17 may be configured to communicate with one or more lighting
devices 10A, 10B in a wired or wireless fashion.
Alternatively, each driver module 30A, 30B may be primarily
configured to drive emitters of its respective emitter group(s)
20A, 20B based on instructions from the respective communication
module 32A, 32B. In such an embodiment, the primary intelligence of
each lighting device 10A, 10B may be provided in the respective
communication module 32A, 32B, which may embody an overall control
module with wired or wireless communication capability. Each
communication module 32A, 32B may include or have associated
therewith at least one transceiver 18A, 18B, wherein each
transceiver 18A, 18B may be optionally replaced with separate
transmitter and receiver components. Each communication module 32A,
32B may facilitate the sharing of intelligence and signals among
the various lighting devices 10A, 10B and other entities.
In certain embodiments, each communication module 32A, 32B may be
implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB) that is separate from
a circuit board associated with the respective driver module 30A,
30B. In certain embodiments, communication between a communication
module 32A, 32B and a corresponding drive module 30A, 30B may be
made via cables according to a desired communication interface,
optionally including one or more interface plugs. In certain
embodiments, each lighting device 10A, 10B may include a body
structure, and the driver module 30A, 30B, communication module
32A, 32B, and emitter group(s) 20A, 20B of the respective lighting
device 10A, 10B may be arranged in or on the body structure.
FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates functional steps for operating
a lighting device or lighting system as disclosed herein according
to certain embodiments. A first step 51 includes determination by a
light device of its geospatial location. Such determination may be
made utilizing a received (e.g., data) signal, an input signal,
and/or one or more sensors. A second step 52 includes determining
or incrementing date and/or time information stored by the lighting
device or lighting system. Such determination may be made utilizing
a received (e.g., data) signal, an input signal, and/or one or more
sensors. A third step 53 includes setting a base schedule for
operating the lighting device based on the geospatial location and
the date/time. In certain embodiments, the base schedule in such
embodiment may be reestablished on a periodic (e.g., daily, weekly,
monthly, or seasonally) basis and automatically altered from day to
day, from week to week, from month to month, or from season to
season such that one or more emitters are operated differently on
different days of a year.
Continuing to refer to FIG. 5, a fourth step 54 for operating a
lighting device or lighting system may involve checking for
modification of, and modifying, a base schedule to take into
account operational parameters or constraints preferred by a user.
Such modification may be made utilizing an input signal received
from one or more input elements. Modification of a schedule by a
user may include, for example, temporal shifts in activation or
deactivation of a lighting device, scheduled shifts in desired
color point at different times of day, scheduled limits for minimum
or maximum intensity of emissions, and so on. In certain
embodiments, the fourth step 54 includes input by a user of
preferences for modifying scheduled operation of a lighting device,
and storage in memory of the modified schedule--either by
overwriting a previously established base schedule, or by storing a
modified operating schedule separately from a previously
established base schedule while maintaining a previously
established base schedule. A fifth step 55 includes checking for
occupancy in a space or area to be illuminated to determine if
illumination is required. Checking for occupancy may utilize a
received (e.g., data) signal, an input signal, and/or one or more
sensors. In certain embodiments, if it is determined that a space
or area to be illuminated is not occupied, then a lighting device
may be temporarily deactivated, operated at a reduced intensity, or
operated at a modified color point or color temperature. A sixth
step 56 includes checking for temporary modification of a lighting
device according to a user override signal, such as may be received
via one or more user input elements. Examples of possible override
signals may include instantaneously activating or deactivating a
lighting device, instantaneously setting minimum or maximum
intensity limits, instantaneously changing color point or color
temperature, and so on. In certain embodiments, override signals
may be implemented in a substantially instantaneous manner and may
be maintained for a predetermined or user-determined time period
that may be tracked by a clock or timer associated with a lighting
device or associated with a user input element. In certain
embodiments, the sixth step 56 differs from the fourth step 54 in
that the sixth step 56 may be primarily directed to instantaneous
and temporary modifications to a predefined (e.g., base) schedule
for operating a lighting device or system, whereas the fourth step
54 may be primarily directed to longer-term modifications to a
predefined operating schedule for operating the lighting device or
system.
With continued reference to FIG. 5, a seventh step 57 for operating
a lighting device or lighting system may include determining an
ambient condition (whether associated with an illuminated space or
area, or associated with an environment outside the illuminated
space or area). Such determination may be performed utilizing one
or more sensors (e.g., light sensors, image sensors, temperature
sensors, or the like). In certain embodiments, such determination
may be made utilizing a signal receiver arranged to receive a
signal indicative of at least one ambient condition from an
electronic device such as a smartphone, tablet computer, or other
portable digital device. An eighth step 58 may include receiving
information of weather conditions or other ambient conditions. Such
information may be received via one or more signal receivers and/or
user input elements. For example, weather information may be
received via wired or wireless transmission from one or more
personal digital devices, Internet websites, radio stations,
television stations, or weather stations. Based on the seventh
and/or eighth steps 57, 58, operation of a lighting device or
lighting system may be adjusted intraday according to a ninth step
59. Examples of light output parameters that may be adjusted
include color point of emissions, color temperature of emissions,
spectral content of emissions, luminous flux of emissions, and
operating time. Following performance of the ninth step 59,
operation may continue by returning to any desired preceding step
51-58. In certain embodiments, operation is continued by returning
to the second step 52 to increment the date or time. In certain
embodiments, operation may at least periodically continue by
returning to the first step 51 to check whether geospatial location
has changed. In certain embodiments, one or more of the preceding
steps 51-59 may be omitted or modified as desired, or additional
steps may be performed.
Various types of lighting devices and systems are contemplated
according to embodiments of the disclosure. Certain embodiments may
be directed to lighting fixtures (including in-ceiling, recessed,
pendant, and surface mount varieties), light bulbs, street lamps,
indoor lamps, outdoor lamps, desk lamps, floor-standing lamps, and
so on.
FIG. 6A provides a cross-sectional perspective view of a lighting
device in the form of a troffer-based lighting fixture 110
according to one embodiment of the disclosure. This particular
lighting fixture is substantially similar to the CR and CS series
of troffer-type lighting fixtures that are manufactured by Cree,
Inc. of Durham, N.C. While the disclosed lighting fixture 110
employs an indirect lighting configuration wherein light is
initially emitted upward from a light source and then reflected
downward, lighting devices including direct lighting configurations
are within the scope of the present disclosure. In addition to
troffer-type lighting fixtures, concepts disclosed herein may be
utilized in recessed lighting configurations, wall mount lighting
configurations, outdoor lighting configurations, and the like.
Further, the functionality and control techniques described below
may be used to control different types of lighting devices, as well
as different groups of the same or different types of lighting
devices at the same time.
In general, troffer-type lighting fixtures, such as the lighting
fixture 110, are designed to mount in, on, or from a ceiling, such
as a drop ceiling (not shown) of a commercial, educational, or
governmental facility. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the lighting
fixture 110 includes a square or rectangular outer frame 112. A
central portion of the lighting fixture 110 includes two
rectangular lenses 14, which are generally transparent,
translucent, or opaque. Reflectors 116 extend from the outer frame
112 to outer edges of the lenses 114. The lenses 114 effectively
extend between the innermost portions of the reflectors 116 to an
elongated heatsink 118, which abuts inside edges of the lenses 114.
An upwardly facing portion of the heatsink 118 provides a mounting
structure for an LED array 120, which supports one or more rows of
LEDs oriented to primarily emit light upwards toward a concave
cover 122. The volume bounded by the cover 122, the lenses 114, and
the heatsink 118 provides a mixing chamber 124. Light emanates
upward from the LED array 120 toward the cover 122 and is reflected
downward through the respective lenses 114, as illustrated in FIG.
6A. Some light rays will reflect multiple times within the mixing
chamber 124 and effectively mix with other light rays, such that a
desirably uniform light is emitted through the respective lenses
114.
As shown in FIG. 6B, an electronics housing 126 may be mounted at
one end of the lighting fixture 110 to house some or all
electronics used to power and control the LED array 120. These
electronics are coupled to the LED array 120 through appropriate
cabling 128. The electronics provided in the electronics housing
126 may be divided into a driver module 130 and a communication
module 132. The communication module 132 may communicate with one
or more external devices such as a user input element 136 (which
may optionally be embodied in a smartphone, tablet computer, a
wireless remote controller, or the like), and one or more other
lighting devices (e.g., fixtures) 110A-110N. The communication
module 132 may be arranged in a secondary housing 134 that is
mechanically coupleable to the electronics housing 126 to promote
modularity, upgradeability, and/or serviceability. The lighting
fixture 110 further includes a sensor module including one or more
sensors, such as occupancy sensors S.sub.O, ambient light sensors
S.sub.A, temperature sensors, sound sensors (microphones), image
(still or video) sensors, and the like. In certain embodiments, one
or more sensors may be arranged external to or remote from the
lighting device 110. Additionally, one or more wired user input
elements (not shown) may optionally be arranged in communication
with the communication module 132 and/or the driver module 130.
Turning now to FIG. 7, an electrical block diagram for a lighting
fixture 110 is provided. In certain embodiments, the driver module
130, communication module 132, and LED array 120 may be connected
to form core electronics of the lighting fixture 110, and the
communication module 132 may be configured to bidirectionally
communicate with other lighting devices 110A-110N as well as one or
more user input elements 115, 136 via wired or wireless techniques.
In certain embodiments, a standard communication interface and a
first (or standard) protocol may be used between the driver module
130 and the communication module 132, thereby permitting different
driver modules 130 to communicate with and be controlled by
different communication modules 132. The term "standard protocol"
may be defined to mean any type of known or future developed,
proprietary, or industry-standardized protocol.
In the illustrated embodiment, the driver module 130 and the
communication module 132 are coupled via communication and power
buses, which may be separate or integrated with one another. A
communication bus allows the communication module 132 to receive
information from the driver module 130 as well as control the
driver module 130. An exemplary communication bus is the well-known
inter-integrated circuitry (I2C) bus, which is a serial bus and is
typically implemented with a two-wire interface employing data and
clock lines. Other available buses include: serial peripheral
interface (SPI) bus, Dallas Semiconductor Corporation's 1-Wire
serial bus, universal serial bus (USB), RS-232, Microchip
Technology Incorporated's UNI/O.RTM., and the like. In certain
embodiments, one or more user input elements 115, 136 may be
coupled to the communication bus or the driver module 130.
The driver module 130 may be configured to collect data from a
sensor module 140, which may include an ambient light sensor
S.sub.A, an occupancy sensor S.sub.O, a GPS sensor, and/or any
other suitable sensors disclosed herein. The driver module 130 is
further arranged to drive LEDs of the LED array 120. Data collected
from the sensor module 140 S.sub.O as well as any other operational
parameters of the driver module 130 may be shared with the
communication module 132. As such, the communication module 132 may
collect data about the configuration or operation of the driver
module 130 and any information made available to the driver module
130 by the LED array 120 and/or the sensor module 140. The
collected data may be used by the communication module 132 to
control operation of the driver module 130, may be shared with
other lighting devices 110A-110N or user input elements, or may be
processed to generate data or instructions that are sent to other
lighting devices 110A-110N. In certain embodiments, the sensor
module 140 may be coupled directly to the communications bus
instead of directly to the driver module 130, such that sensory
information from the sensor module 140 may be provided to the
driver module 130 or the communication module 132 via the
communications bus.
In certain embodiments, the communication module 132 may be
controlled in whole or in part by a remotely located entity, such
as a user input element 136 or another lighting device 110A-110N.
The communication module 132 may process sensor data and/or
instructions provided by other lighting device 110A-110N or a
remotely located user input element 115, 136, and then provide
instructions over the communication bus to the driver module 130.
The communication module 132 may therefore facilitate the sharing
of system information with the driver module 130, which may use
internal logic to determine what action(s) to take. The driver
module 130 may respond by controlling the drive current or voltages
provided to the LED array 120 as appropriate.
In certain embodiments, one aspect of a standard communication
interface is the definition of a standard power delivery system.
The power bus may be set to a desired (e.g., low) voltage level,
such as 5 volts, 12 volts, 24 volts, or the like. The driver module
130 may be configured to process an AC input signal to provide the
defined low voltage level over power bus. The communication module
132 and/or auxiliary devices, such as the sensor module 140, may be
designed in anticipation of the desired low voltage level being
provided over the power bus by the driver module 130, without
concern for connecting to an AC power source or performing AC to DC
conversion for powering the electronics of the communication module
132 or the sensor module 140.
Turning to FIG. 8, a block diagram of a communication module 132
according to one embodiment is provided. The communication module
132 includes control circuitry 166 and associated memory 168, which
contains the software instructions and data to facilitate operation
as described herein. The control circuitry 166 may be associated
with a communication interface 170, which is to be coupled to the
driver module 130, either directly or indirectly via the
communication bus. The control circuitry 166 may be associated with
a wired communication port 172, a wireless communication port 174,
or both, to facilitate wired or wireless communications with other
lighting devices 110A-110N, one or more user input devices 136, and
remote control entities. The wireless communication port 174 may
include the requisite transceiver electronics to facilitate
wireless communications with remote entities. The wired
communication port 172 may support universal serial (USB),
Ethernet, or like interfaces.
Capabilities of the communication module 132 may vary from one
embodiment to another. For example, the communication module 132
may act as a simple bridge between the driver module 130 and the
other lighting devices 110A-110N or remote control entities. In
such an embodiment, the control circuitry 166 may primarily pass
data and instructions received from the other lighting fixtures 110
or remote control entities to the driver module 130, and
vice-versa. The control circuitry 166 may translate the
instructions as necessary based on the protocols being used to
facilitate communications between the driver module 130 and the
communications module 132 as well as between the communication
module 132 and any remote control entities.
In other embodiments, the control circuitry 166 may play an
important role in coordinating intelligence and sharing data among
the lighting devices 110A-110N as well as providing significant, if
not complete, control of the driver module 130. The control
circuitry 166 may also be configured to receive data and
instructions from the other lighting devices 110A-110N or remote
control entities and use this information to control the driver
module 130. The communication module 132 may also provide
instructions to other lighting devices 110A-110N and remote control
entities based on data received from the driver module 130 and/or
the sensor module 140, as well as data and instructions received
from any remote entitles and/or other lighting devices
110A-110N.
Power for the control circuitry 166, memory 168, the communication
interface 170, and the wired and/or wireless communication ports
172 and 174 may be provided over the power bus via the power port.
As noted above, the power bus may receive its power from the driver
module 130, which generates a DC power signal. As such, the
communication module 132 may not need to be connected to AC power
or include rectifier and conversion circuitry. The power port and
the communication port may be separate or may be integrated with
the standard communication interface. The power port and
communication port are shown separately for clarity. In one
embodiment, the communication bus is a 2-wire serial bus, wherein
the connector or cabling configuration may be configured such that
the communication bus and the power bus are provided using four
wires: data, clock, power, and ground. In alternative embodiments,
an internal power supply 176 may be associated with AC power or a
battery, and may be used to supply power to the communication
module 132.
With continued reference to FIG. 8, the communication module 132
may include a status indicator, such as an LED 178 to indicate the
operating state of the communication module 132. Further, a user
interface 180 may be provided to allow a user to manually interact
with the communication module 132. The user interface 180 may
include an input mechanism, an output mechanism, or both. An input
mechanism may include one or more of buttons, keys, keypads,
touchscreens, or the like. An output mechanism may include one more
LEDs, a display, or the like. The term "button" as used herein may
include a push button switch, all or part of a toggle switch,
rotary dial, slider, or any other mechanical input mechanism.
A description of an exemplary embodiment of the LED array 120,
driver module 130, and the communication module 132 follows. The
LED array 120 includes a plurality of LEDs, which may be embodied
in LEDs 182A and/or LEDs 182B illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. With
reference to FIG. 9, a single LED chip 184A is mounted on a
reflective cup 186A using solder or a conductive epoxy, such that
ohmic contacts for the cathode (or anode) of the LED chip 184A are
electrically coupled to the bottom of the reflective cup 186A. The
reflective cup 186A is either coupled to or integrally formed with
a first lead 188A of the LED 182A. One or more bond wires 190A
connect ohmic contacts for the anode (or cathode) of the LED chip
184A to a second lead 192A.
The reflective cup 186A may be filled with an encapsulant material
194A that encapsulates the LED chip 184A. The encapsulant material
194A may be clear or contain a wavelength conversion material, such
as a phosphor or other lumiphoric material. The entire assembly is
encapsulated in a clear protective resin 196A, which may be molded
in the shape of a lens to control the light emitted from the LED
chip 184A.
An alternative LED package 182B is illustrated in FIG. 10 wherein
the LED chip 184B is mounted on a substrate 198B. In particular,
the ohmic contacts for the anode (or cathode) of the LED chip 184B
are directly mounted to first contact pads 200B on the surface of
the substrate 198B. The ohmic contacts for the cathode (or anode)
of the LED chip 184B are connected to second contact pads 202B,
which are also on the surface of the substrate 198B, using bond
wires 204B. The LED chip 184B resides in a cavity of a reflector
structure 205B, which is formed from a reflective material and
functions to reflect light emitted from the LED chip 184B through
the opening formed by the reflector structure 205B. The cavity
formed by the reflector structure 205B may be filled with an
encapsulant material 194B that encapsulates the LED chip 184B. The
encapsulant material 194B may be clear or contain a wavelength
conversion material, such as a phosphor or other lumiphoric
material.
In either of the embodiments of FIGS. 9 and 10, if the encapsulant
material 194A, 194B is clear, then the light emitted by the
respective LED chip 184A, 184B passes through the encapsulant
material 194A, 194B and the protective resin 196A without any
substantial shift in color. Alternatively, if the encapsulant
material 194A, 194B contains a wavelength conversion material, then
some or all emissions of the LED chip 184A, 184B in a first
wavelength range may be absorbed by the wavelength conversion
material, which will responsively emit light in a second wavelength
range. The concentration and type of wavelength conversion material
will dictate how much of the light emitted by the LED chip 184A,
184B is absorbed by the wavelength conversion material as well as
the extent of the wavelength conversion. In embodiments where some
of the light emitted by the LED chip 184A, 184B passes through the
wavelength conversion material without being absorbed, light
passing through the wavelength conversion material will mix with
light emitted by the wavelength conversion material. Thus, when a
wavelength conversion material is used, the light emitted from the
LED package 182A, 182B is shifted in color from the actual light
emitted from the LED chip 184A, 184B contained therein.
A generic LED package that may embody features of either the LED
package 182A or the LED package 182B is referred to herein as "LED
182" and a generic LED chip such as may be embodied in LED chip
184A or LED chip 184B is referred to herein as "LED chip 184."
For example, a LED array 120 may include a group of blue shifted
yellow ("BSY") or blue shifted green ("BSG") LEDs 182 as well as a
group of red LEDs 182. A BSY LED 182 includes a LED chip 184 that
emits bluish light, and a wavelength conversion material such as a
yellow phosphor that absorbs at least a portion of the blue light
and emits yellowish light. The resultant mixture of light emitted
from the overall BSY LED 182 may embody yellowish light having a
color point falling above the Planckian or Black Body Locus (BBL)
on a 1976 CIE chromaticity diagram, wherein the BBL corresponds to
the various color temperatures of white light.
In a similar manner, BSG LEDs 182 include a LED chip 184 that emits
bluish light in combination with a wavelength conversion material
such as a greenish phosphor that absorbs at least a portion of the
blue light and emits greenish light. The resultant mixture of light
emitted from the overall BSG LED 182 may embody greenish light
having a color point falling above the BBL on a 1976 CIE
chromaticity diagram.
Red LEDs 182 generally emit reddish light at a color point on the
opposite side of the BBL as the yellowish or greenish light of BSY
or BSG LEDs 182A, 182B. As such, the reddish light from red LEDs
182 may mix with yellowish or greenish light emitted from BSY or
BSG LEDs 182 to generate white light that has a desired color
temperature and falls within a desired proximity of the BBL. In
effect, the reddish light from the red LEDs 182 "pulls" aggregated
emissions including the yellowish or greenish light from the BSY or
BSG LEDs 182 to a desired color point on or near the BBL. Red LEDs
182 may include LED chips 184 that natively emit reddish light in
the absence of wavelength conversion material, or alternatively may
include a red-emitting wavelength conversion material arranged to
be stimulated by a shorter wavelength (e.g., UV- or blue-emitting)
LED wherein the wavelength conversion material generates reddish
light.
A blue LED chip 184 used to form either a BSY or BSG LED 182 may be
formed from a gallium nitride (GaN), indium gallium nitride
(InGaN), silicon carbide (SiC), zinc selenide (ZnSe), or a like
material system. A red LED chip 184 may be formed from an aluminum
indium gallium nitride (AlInGaP), gallium phosphide (GaP), aluminum
gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), or a like material system. Exemplary
yellow phosphors include cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet
(YAG:Ce), yellow BOSE (Ba, O, Sr, Si, Eu) phosphors, and the like.
Exemplary green phosphors include green BOSE phosphors, Lutetium
aluminum garnet (LuAg), cerium doped LuAg (LuAg:Ce), and the like.
The above-described and illustrated LED architectures, phosphors,
and material systems are merely exemplary and are not intended to
provide an exhaustive listing of architectures, phosphors, and
materials systems that are applicable to the concepts disclosed
herein.
FIG. 11 illustrates a portion of a CIE 1976 chromaticity diagram
including the blackbody locus, with addition of a triangle defined
by color points of a first blue-shifted yellow LED, a second
blue-shifted yellow LED, and a red LED. The coordinates (u', v')
are used to define color points within the color space of the CIE
1976 chromaticity diagram. The v' value defines a vertical position
and the u' value defines a horizontal position. As an example, the
color points for a first BSY LED 182 is about (0.1900, 0.5250), a
second BSY LED 182 is about (0.1700, 0.4600), and a red LED 82 is
about (0.4900, 0.5250). Notably, the first and second BSY LEDs 182
are significantly spaced apart from one another along the v' axis,
with the color point of the first BSY LED 82 being much higher than
the second BSY LED 182 in the chromaticity diagram. For ease of
reference, the higher, first BSY LED 182 is referenced as the high
BSY-H LED, and the lower, second BSY LED 82 is referenced as the
low BSY-L LED 182.
The .DELTA.v' value for the high BSY-H LED and the low BSY-L LED is
about 0.065 in the illustrated example. In different embodiments,
the .DELTA.v' value may be greater than 0.025, 0.030, 0.033, 0.040,
0.050, 0.060, 0.075, 0.100, 0.110, and 0.120, respectively.
Exemplary upper bounds for .DELTA.v' may be 0.150, 0.175, or 0.200
for any of the aforementioned lower bounds. For groups of LEDs of a
particular color, the .DELTA.v' between two groups of LEDs is the
difference between the average v' values for each group of LEDs.
The .DELTA.v' value between groups of LEDs of a particular color
may also be greater than 0.030, 0.033, 0.040, 0.050, 0.060, 0.075,
0.100, 0.110, and 0.120, respectively, with the same upper bounds
as described above. Further, the variation of color points among
the LEDs 182 within a particular group of LEDs may be limited to
within a seven, five, four, three, or two-step MacAdam ellipse in
certain embodiments. In general, the greater the .DELTA.v' value,
the larger the range through which the CCT of the white light can
be adjusted along the BBL. The closer the white light is to the
BBL, the more closely the white light will replicate that of an
incandescent radiator.
In one embodiment, a LED array 20 may include a first LED group of
only low BSY-L LEDs, a second LED group of only high BSY-H LEDs,
and a third LED group of only red LEDs. The currents used to drive
the first, second, and third LED groups may be independently
controlled such that the intensity of the light output from the
first, second, and third LED groups is independently controlled. As
such, light output of the first, second, and third LED groups may
be blended or mixed to generate light having an overall color point
virtually anywhere within a triangle formed by the color points of
the respective low BSY-L LEDs, high BSY-H LEDs, and the red LEDs.
Within this triangle resides a significant portion of the BBL, such
that the overall color point of the light output may be dynamically
adjusted to fall along the portion of the BBL that resides within
the triangle.
A crosshatch pattern highlights the portion of the BBL that falls
within the triangle. Adjusting the overall color point of the light
output along the BBL corresponds to adjusting the CCT of the light
output, which as noted above is considered white light when falling
on the BBL. In one embodiment, the CCT of the overall light output
may be adjusted over a range from about 2700 K to about 5700 K. In
another embodiment, the CCT of the overall light output may be
adjusted over a range from about 3000 K to 5000 K. In yet another
embodiment, the CCT of the overall light output may be adjusted
over a range from about 2700 K to 5000 K. These variations in CCT
can be accomplished while maintaining a high color rendering index
value (CRI), such as a CRI equal to or greater than 90.
To be considered "white" light, the overall color point does not
have to fall precisely on the BBL. Unless defined otherwise and for
the purposes of this application only, a color point within a
five-step MacAdam ellipse of the BBL is defined as white light on
the BBL. For tighter tolerances, four, three, and two-step MacAdam
ellipses may be defined.
As noted previously, a LED array 120 may include a mixture of red
LEDs 182, high BSY-H LEDs 182, and low BSY-L LEDs 182. Although the
preceding discussion has emphasized mixtures of light falling on or
near the BBL, it is to be emphasized that multiple LEDs may be
driven to provide aggregate output having color points
non-coincident with the BBL if desired.
FIG. 12 illustrates a driver module 130 for driving a LED array 120
according to one embodiment of the disclosure. The LED array 120
may be divided into multiple strings of series-connected LEDs 182.
A first LED string S1 includes multiple red LEDs 182-1, a second
LED string S2 includes multiple low BSY LEDs 182-2, and a third LED
string S3 includes multiple high BSY LEDs 182-3.
For clarity, the various LEDs of the LED array 120 are referenced
as RED, BSY-L, and BSY-H in FIG. 12 to clearly indicate which LEDs
are located in the various LED strings S1, S2, and S3. While BSY
LEDs 182-2, 182-3 are illustrated, BSG or other wavelength
converted (e.g., phosphor coated) LEDs may be employed in analogous
fashion. For example, a string of high BSG-H LEDs 182-3 may be
combined with a string of low BSG-L LEDs 182-2, and vice versa.
Further, a string of low BSY-L LEDs 182-2 and/or high BSG-H LEDs
182-3 may be combined with one or more red LED, and vice versa.
Non-phosphor-converted LEDs of various colors, such as
non-wavelength converted red, amber, green, cyan, and blue LEDs,
may also be employed in certain embodiments.
In general, the driver module 130 controls the currents i.sub.1,
i.sub.2, and i.sub.3 that are used to drive the respective LED
strings S1, S2, and S3. The ratio of currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and
i.sub.3 provided to the respective LED strings S1, S2, and S3 may
be adjusted to effectively control the relative intensities of the
reddish light emitted from the red LEDs 182-1 of LED string S1, the
yellowish/greenish light emitted from the low BSY-L LEDs 182-2 of
LED string S2, and the yellow/greenish light emitted from the high
BSY-H LEDs 182-3 of LED string S3. The resultant light from each
LED string S1, S2, and S3 mixes to generate an overall light output
that has a desired color, CCT, and intensity (which may also be
referred to as a dimming level). The overall light output may be
white light that falls on or within a desired proximity of the BBL
and has a desired CCT.
The number of LED strings S1, S2, S3 may vary from one to many and
different combinations of LED colors may be used in the different
strings. Each LED string S1, S2, S3 may have LEDs 182 of the same
color, variations of the same color, or substantially different
colors. In the illustrated embodiment, each LED string S1, S2, S3
is configured such that all of the LEDs 182-1, 182-2, 182-3 within
each individual string are all essentially identical in color.
However, in certain embodiments, the LEDs 182-1, 182-2, 182-3 in
each string may vary substantially in color or embody completely
different colors in certain embodiments. In certain embodiments,
three LED strings S1, S2, S3 with red, green, and blue LEDs may be
used, wherein each LED string S1, S2, S3 embodies LED dedicated to
a single color. In yet another embodiment, at least two LED strings
S1, S2 may be used, wherein different colored BSY or BSG LEDs are
used in one LED string S1 and red LEDs are used another LED string
S2. A single string embodiment is also envisioned, where currents
may be individually adjusted for the LEDs of the different colors
using controllable bypass circuits, controllable shunt circuits, or
the like.
The driver module 130 illustrated in FIG. 12 generally includes
AC-DC conversion circuitry 206, control circuitry 210, and a number
of current sources, such as the illustrated DC-DC converters 212.
In certain embodiments, signals from one or more user input
elements 130 may be communicated directly to the driver module 115,
or alternatively through the communication module 132. The AC-DC
conversion circuitry 206 is adapted to receive an AC power signal
(AC IN), rectify the AC power signal, correct the power factor of
the AC power signal, and provide a DC output signal. The DC output
signal may be used to directly power the control circuitry 210 and
any other circuitry provided in the driver module 130, including
the DC-DC converters 212, a communication interface 214, and the
sensor module 140.
The DC output signal may also be provided to the power bus, which
is coupled to one or more power ports (e.g., as part of a standard
communication interface). The DC output signal provided to the
power bus may be used to provide power to one or more external
devices that are coupled to the power bus and separate from the
driver module 130. These external devices may include the
communication module 132 and any number of auxiliary devices, such
as the sensor module 140.
As illustrated, the three respective DC-DC converters 212-1, 212-2,
212-3 of the driver module 130 provide currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2,
and i.sub.3 for the three LED strings S1, S2, and S3 in response to
control signals CS1, CS2, and CS3. The control signals CS1, CS2,
and CS3 may be pulse width modulated (PWM) signals that effectively
turn the respective DC-DC converters 212-1, 212-2, 212-3 on during
a logic high state and off during a logic low state of each period
of the PWM signal.
In certain embodiments the control signals CS1, CS2, and CS3 may be
the product of two PWM signals. The first PWM signal is a higher
frequency PWM signal that has a duty cycle that effectively sets
the DC current level through a corresponding one of LED strings S1,
S2, and S3, when current is allowed to pass through the LED strings
S1, S2, and S3. The second PWM signal is a lower frequency signal
that has a duty cycle that corresponds a desired dimming or overall
output level. In essence, the higher frequency PWM signals set the
relative current levels though each LED string S1, S2, and S3 while
the lower frequency PWM signal determines how long the currents
i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3 are allowed to pass through the LED
strings S1, S2, and S3 during each period of the lower frequency
PWM signal. The longer the currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3
are allowed to flow through the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 during
each period, the higher the output level, and vice versa. Given the
reactive components associated with the DC-DC converters 212, the
relative current levels set with the higher frequency PWM signals
may be filtered to a relative DC current. However, this DC current
is essentially pulsed on and off based on the duty cycle of the
lower frequency PWM signal. In one embodiment, the higher frequency
PWM signal may have a switching frequency of around 200 KHz, while
the lower frequency PWM signal may have a switching frequency of
around 1 KHz.
In certain embodiments, a dimming device may control the AC power
signal. The AC-DC conversion circuitry 206 may be configured to
detect the relative amount of dimming associated with the AC power
signal and provide a corresponding dimming signal to the control
circuitry 210. Based on the dimming signal, the control circuitry
210 will adjust the currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3 provided
to each of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 to effectively reduce the
intensity of the resultant light emitted from the LED strings S1,
S2, and S3 while maintaining the desired CCT. As described further
below, the CCT and dimming levels may be initiated internally or
received from the user input element 136, a wall controller, or
another lighting device. If received from an external device via
the communication module 132, the color point, CCT level, and/or
dimming levels are delivered from the communication module 132 to
the control circuitry 210 of the driver module 130 in the form of a
command via the communication bus. The driver module 130 will
respond by controlling the currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3
in the desired manner to achieve the requested CCT and/or dimming
levels.
The intensity and CCT of light emitted by the LEDs 182 may be
affected by temperature. If associated with a thermistor S.sub.T or
other temperature-sensing device, the control circuitry 210 can
control the currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3 provided to each
of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 based on ambient temperature of
the LED array 120 in an effort to compensate for temperature
effects. The control circuitry 210 may also monitor the output of
the occupancy and ambient light sensors S.sub.O and S.sub.A for
occupancy and ambient light information and further control the
currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3 in a desired fashion. Each
of the LED strings S1, S2, and S3 may have different temperature
compensation adjustments, which may also be functions of the
magnitude of the various currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and
i.sub.3.
The control circuitry 210 may include a central processing unit
(CPU) and sufficient memory 216 to enable the control circuitry 210
to bidirectionally communicate with the communication module 132 or
other devices over the communication bus through an appropriate
communication interface (I/F) 214 using a defined protocol, such as
the standard protocol described above. The control circuitry 210
may receive instructions from the communication module 132 or other
device and take appropriate action to implement the received
instructions. The instructions may include controlling how the LEDs
182 of the LED array 120 are driven, or returning operational data,
such as temperature, occupancy, light output, or ambient light
information, that was collected by the control circuitry 210 to the
communication module 132 or other device via the communication bus.
In certain embodiments, the functionality of the communication
module 132 may be integrated into the driver module 130, and vice
versa.
In certain embodiments, the control circuitry 210 of the driver
module 130 is loaded with a current model in the form of one or
more functions (equation) or look up tables for each of the
currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3. Each current model is a
reference model that is a function of dimming or output level,
temperature, and CCT. The output of each model provides a
corresponding control signal CS1, CS2, and CS3, which effectively
sets the currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3 in the LED strings
S1, S2, and S3. The three current models are related to each other.
At any given output level, temperature, and CCT, the resulting
currents i.sub.1, i.sub.2, and i.sub.3 cause the LED strings S1,
S2, and S3 to emit light, which when combined, provides an overall
light output that has a desired output level and CCT, regardless of
temperature. While the three current models do not need to be a
function of each other, they are created to coordinate with one
another to ensure that the light from each of the strings S1, S2,
and S3 mix with one another in a desired fashion.
The above-mentioned current model stored in memory 216 of the
control circuitry 210 may correspond to a base schedule or emitter
operating schedule as described herein. Such base schedule may
operate the lighting device 110 based on the geospatial location
and the date/time. The base schedule in such embodiment may be
reestablished on a periodic (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, or
seasonally) basis and automatically altered from day to day, from
week to week, from month to month, or from season to season such
that one or more electrically activated emitters are operated
differently on different days of a year. Additionally, brightness
and/or spectral content of the emissions of the lighting device may
be further adjusted intraday based on sensed ambient conditions,
sensed conditions of an illuminated space or surface, information
indicative of weather conditions, and/or user inputs.
Although the preceding discussion of LEDs 182 has been directed
primarily to single-chip LED packages, in certain embodiments
lighting devices described herein may include multi-chip LED
packages with separately controllable LED chips. FIG. 13A
illustrates a solid state emitter package 300 including multiple
solid state light emitters (e.g., LED chips). The emitter package
300 includes multiple (e.g., four) LED chips 350A-350D that may be
separately controlled (e.g., via backside anodes 321A-321D and
cathodes 322A-322D) and that are supported by an insulating
substrate 310. The substrate 310, which may preferably comprise a
ceramic material, includes an upper surface 311, a lower surface
312, and side walls 313-316 extending between the upper surface 311
and the lower surface 312. Electrical traces 340 are arranged over
the substrate 310, including multiple die attach pads 341A-341D and
additional electrical elements 342A-342D arranged proximate to the
die attach pads 341A-341D. Where the die attach pads 341A-341D are
electrically conductive, the LED chips 350A-350D may be arranged
with bottom side contacts thereof in electrical communication with
the die attach pads 341A-314D, and with top side contacts thereof
in electrical communication with the electrical elements 342A-342D
by way of wirebonds 352. The die attach pads 341A-341D and
electrical elements 342A-342D may comprise one or more metals
patterned on (or in) the upper surface 311 of the substrate 310.
Gaps 345 may be provided between adjacent die attach pads 341A-341D
and/or electrical elements 342A-342D to prevent undesired
conductive electrical communication. In certain embodiments, die
attach pads need not be electrically conductive, such as in cases
where anode and cathode connections to a solid state emitter chip
are both made with wirebonds. An insulating soldermask 347 is
patterned over peripheral portions of the electrical traces 340,
and a molded lens 360 (e.g., including a raised or hemispherical
portion 361 and a base portion 362) is arranged over the upper
surface 311 of the substrate 310 and is arranged to transmit at
least a portion of light generated by the emitter chips
350A-350D.
LED chips 350A-350D of any suitable peak wavelength (e.g., color)
may be used, and one, some, or all of the chips 350A-350D may be
arranged to stimulate emissions of one or more lumiphors (e.g.,
phosphors). Although some or all of the LED chips 350A-350D may be
separately controlled, in certain embodiments groups of two or more
LED chips 350A-350D or groups of LED chips may be controlled
together in a groupwise fashion. As noted previously, the package
300 may embody one or more LED components, with each LED component
comprising at least one LED chip 350A-350D (optionally multiple LED
chips), with one or more LED chips 350A-350D optionally arranged to
stimulate emissions of one or more lumiphoric materials. In certain
embodiments, the solid state emitter package 300 may include two
LED components, with each LED component including two LED chips
350A-350D. In certain embodiments, the solid state emitter package
300 may include one, two, three, or four LED components. Although
four LED chips 350A-350D are illustrated in FIG. 13A, it is to be
appreciated that a LED package may include any desirable number of
LED chips, including groups of chips arranged in series, in
parallel, or in series-parallel configurations.
FIG. 13B is a bottom plan view of each of the emitter package 300
of FIG. 13A. A lower surface 312 of the substrate includes four
anodes 321A-321D and four cathodes 322A-322D patterned thereon
(e.g., as electrical traces), with one paired anode/cathode per
quadrant. The separate anodes 321A-321D and cathodes 322A-322D
enable separate control of the multiple solid state emitters (e.g.,
LED chips) 350A-350B if desired. The various anodes 321A-321D and
cathodes 322A-322D are separated by gaps that may be filled with
solder mask material sections 327-1, 327-2. A thermal element
(e.g., thermal spreading element) 326 may be arranged along the
bottom surface 312 between the solder mask material sections 327-1,
327-2 and generally underlapping the solid state emitters
350A-350D. The thickness of the thermal element 326 may be the same
as or different from (e.g., thicker than) the anodes 321A-321D and
cathodes 322A-322D. As shown, the package 300 is devoid of any
anode or cathode arranged on, or extending laterally beyond, any
side wall 313-316 thereof.
By separately controlling different emitters (e.g., LED chips) of
appropriate characteristics, the package 300 may be operated
according to multiple operating states to yield aggregated
emissions with different light output parameters. Examples of light
output parameters that may be adjusted include: color point of
emissions, color temperature of emissions, spectral content of
emissions, luminous flux of emissions, and operating time. One or
more emitter packages 300 may be utilized in lighting devices or
lighting system as disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, such
emitter packages may embody or be included in LED arrays as
previously described herein.
Arrays containing various combinations of emitters (either with or
without lumiphoric materials) are contemplated for use in lighting
devices and lighting systems as disclosed herein. FIGS. 14A-14F
schematically illustrate at least portions of various exemplary LED
arrays, each including multiple LEDs and at least one lumiphoric
material.
FIG. 14A illustrates at least a portion of a first LED array 400
including first and second emitter components 401, 402 supported in
or on a substrate or other body structure 409. The first and second
emitter components 401, 402 each include at least one LED chip
403A, 404A, wherein any one or more of the LED chips 403A, 404A may
be optionally arranged to stimulate emissions of one or more
lumiphoric materials (e.g., such as lumiphor 405A arranged to be
stimulated by LED chip 403A). Although FIG. 14A illustrates one LED
chip 403A, 404A as being associated with each emitter component
401, 402, it is to be appreciated that any suitable number (e.g.,
two, three, four, five, six or more, etc.) of LED chips may be
associated with one or more emitter components in certain
embodiments.
FIG. 14B illustrates at least a portion of a second LED array 410
including first and second emitter components 411, 412 supported in
or on a substrate or other body structure 419. The first and second
emitter components 411, 412 each include at least one LED chip
413A, 414A, wherein any one or more of the LED chips 413A, 414A may
be optionally arranged to stimulate emissions of one or more
lumiphoric materials (e.g., such as a first lumiphor 415A arranged
to be stimulated by a first LED chip 413A and a second lumiphor
416A arranged to be stimulated by a second LED chip 414A).
FIG. 14C illustrates at least a portion of a third LED array 420
including first and second emitter components 421, 422 supported in
or on a substrate (or other body structure) 429. The first emitter
component 421 includes LED chips 423A, 423B with a first LED chip
423A arranged to stimulate emissions of a first lumiphor 425A, and
the second emitter component 422 includes a LED chip 424A arranged
to stimulate emissions of a second lumiphor 426A. In certain
embodiments, any suitable number of LED chips and lumiphors may be
provided in each emitter component, and additional emitter
components (not shown) may be supported by the substrate 429.
FIG. 14D illustrates at least a portion of a fourth LED array 430
including first and second emitter components 431, 432 supported in
or on a substrate or other body structure 439. The first emitter
component 431 includes a first LED chip 433A arranged to stimulate
emissions of a first lumiphor 435A and a second LED chip 433B
arranged to stimulate emissions of a second lumiphor 435B, and the
second emitter component 432 includes a LED chip 434A arranged to
stimulate emissions of another lumiphor 436A. In certain
embodiments, any suitable number of LED chips and lumiphors may be
provided in each emitter component, and additional emitter
components (not shown) may be supported by the substrate 439.
FIG. 14E illustrates at least a portion of a fifth LED array 440
including first and second emitter components 441, 442 supported in
or on a substrate or other body structure 449. The first emitter
component 441 includes a first LED chip 443A arranged to stimulate
emissions of a first lumiphor 445A and a second LED chip 443B
arranged to stimulate emissions of a second lumiphor 445B. The
second emitter component 442 includes a first LED chip 444A
arranged to stimulate emissions of a first lumiphor 446A and a
second LED chip 444B arranged to stimulate emissions of a second
lumiphor 446B. One or more lumiphoric materials 445A, 445B, 446A,
446B may be the same or different in the respective LED components
441, 442. In certain embodiments, any suitable number of LED chips
and lumiphors may be provided in each emitter component, and
additional emitter components (not shown) may be supported by the
substrate 449.
FIG. 14F illustrates at least a portion of a sixth LED array 450
including first and second emitter components 451, 452 supported in
or on a substrate or other body structure 459. The first emitter
component 451 includes a first LED chip 453A arranged to stimulate
emissions of a first lumiphor 455A in addition to a second LED chip
453B, and the second emitter component 452 includes a first LED
chip 454A arranged to stimulate emissions of a first lumiphor 456A
in addition to a second LED chip 454B. In certain embodiments, any
suitable number of LED chips and lumiphors may be provided in each
emitter component, and additional emitter components (not shown)
may be supported by the substrate 459.
With general reference to FIGS. 14A-14F, the first and second
emitter components in each instance may embody any suitable LED
chips, lumiphors, features, and/or capabilities as described
herein, and are preferably separately controllable (but may be
controlled together). Additional emitter components (not shown)
including one or more LED chips may be further provided in or on
the substrate in each instance. In embodiments including one or
more emitter components with multiple LEDs, each LED within a
single LED component may be individually controlled, or groups of
two or more LEDs within a single component may be controlled
together.
With continued reference to FIGS. 14A-14F, in certain embodiments
each first emitter component may be arranged to produce emissions
(or a mixture of emissions) having a first color point, each second
emitter component may be arranged to produce emissions (or a
mixture of emissions) having a second color point, and a mixture of
light generated by the respective first and second emitter
component for each device may be arranged to yield an aggregate
color point. The aggregate color point may be adjusted by adjusting
proportion of current to different emitter components. In certain
embodiments, additional emitter components may be provided to
permit further adjustment of the aggregate color point. In certain
embodiments, adjustment of current or current pulse width to
different emitter components may be used to adjust light output
parameters such as color point of emissions, color temperature of
emissions, spectral content of emissions, luminous flux of
emissions, and operating time. One or more LED arrays such as
described in FIGS. 14A-14F may be utilized in lighting devices or
lighting system as disclosed herein.
FIG. 15 illustrates a first light bulb 550 arranged to incorporate
multiple solid state emitters (e.g., LEDs) as disclosed herein. The
light bulb 550 includes a power supply 554, and includes a heatsink
555 including fins to promote cooling of LED chips 552 and the
power supply 554. A lateral contact 560 and foot contact 551 may be
compatible with an Edison-style screw-type light socket for
conducting power to the light bulb 550. An optical element 558
(which may be embodied in a light-transmissive globe) is provided
to protect the LED chips 552 and provide light shaping and/or
diffusion utility for light emissions of the bulb 550. One or more
lumiphoric materials may be associated with the LED chips 552
and/or the optical element 558 to provide wavelength conversion
utility. Two or more LED chips 552 or groups thereof (optionally in
conjunction with lumiphoric materials) are arranged to separately
emit light with different color points, such that by separately
controlling different LED chips or groups thereof, light output
parameters such as color point of emissions, color temperature of
emissions, spectral content of emissions, luminous flux of
emissions, and operating time may be varied. One or more of
sensor(s), a signal receiver, and a user input element 540 may be
provided to communicate signals to a driver module (not shown). In
certain embodiments, the preceding sensor(s), signal receiver,
and/or user input element 540 are arranged to receive or determine
information indicative of geospatial or geographic location (and
optionally additional information such as time, time zone, and/or
date), to permit a driver module to automatically adjust one or
more light output parameters based at least in part on such
information to operate the LED chips 552 differently on different
days of a year.
FIG. 16 illustrates a second, reflector-type (i.e. PAR-style) light
bulb 570 arranged to incorporate one or more groups or arrays of
LEDs as disclosed herein. The light bulb 570 includes a reflector
574 and an optical element (e.g., lens) 576 covering a front or
light emitting portion of the bulb 570, with the reflector 574 and
lens 576 together forming a light-transmissive optical enclosure.
An opposing end of the bulb includes contacts 580, 581 (e.g., an
Edison-style threaded lateral contact 580 and a foot contact 581)
for receiving power from a socket or other receptacle. A body
structure 578 extends between the reflector 574 and a base end of
the bulb 570 that includes the contacts 580, 581. The bulb 570
includes multiple LEDs (not visible) as previously discussed, and
such components optionally may include one or more lumiphoric
materials. Optionally, one or more light scattering and/or
lumiphoric materials may be associated with the optical element 576
in certain embodiments. Two or more LED chips or groups thereof
(optionally in conjunction with lumiphoric materials) may be
arranged to separately emit light with different color points, such
that by separately controlling different LED chips or groups
thereof, light output parameters such as color point of emissions,
color temperature of emissions, spectral content of emissions,
luminous flux of emissions, and operating time may be varied. The
light bulb 570 preferably includes at least one of a sensor, a
signal receiver, and a user input element arranged to receive or
determine information indicative of geospatial or geographic
location (and optionally additional information such as time, time
zone, and/or date), to permit automatic adjustment of one or more
light output parameters based at least in part on such information
to operate groups or arrays of LEDs of the light bulb 570
differently on different days of a year.
FIG. 17 illustrates a third light bulb 600 arranged to incorporate
multiple solid state emitters (e.g., LEDs) 627 as disclosed herein
disposed in an array 628 in a tower-type configuration, such as
disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0271991
(incorporated by reference herein). The bulb 600 may embody an
A-series bulb with an Edison base 602 including a lateral contact
603 and a foot contact 604. The base 602 may include a base printed
circuit board 680 and electronics 610 within a housing 605,
suitable for powering the bulb 600 and including a power supply
and/or driver. The electronics 610 may be arranged in communication
with at least one of a sensor, a signal receiver, and a user input
element 640 arranged to receive or determine information indicative
of geospatial or geographic location (and optionally additional
information such as time, time zone, and/or date), to permit the
electronics 610 to automatically adjust of one or more light output
parameters based at least in part on such information to operate
LED chips 627 of the array 628 differently on different days of a
year.
The bulb 600 includes multiple LED chips 627 (of which one or more
may include lumiphoric material) mounted on an upwardly-extending
substantially tubular or tube-like submount (e.g., printed circuit
board) 629 bounding an internal cavity 674. The LED chips 627 are
operable to emit light when energized. The cavity 674 is capped by
a heat conducting portion 652 that and engaging member 668 that
fits with an engagement portion 666 associated with locking member
672 extending upward from an electrical interconnect 650 internal
to the cavity 674. A globe-like enclosure (which may embody an
optical element) 612 surrounds an interior volume containing a LED
assembly 630 including the multiple emitter chips 627. A heatsink
654 is arranged between the enclosure 612 and the base 602, with a
lock member 609 arranged to receive and retain deformable fingers
601 during assembly of the bulb 600. A bottom edge of the enclosure
612 abuts a top surface 654A of the heatsink 654. Internal
conductors 664B are arranged to conduct electrical signals between
the base PCB 680 and components of the LED assembly 630.
In certain embodiments, at least one lumiphoric material may be
associated with one or more emitter chips 627 and/or additionally
associated with the enclosure (or optical element) 612. The optical
element 612 may further include light scattering materials in
certain embodiments. Two or more emitter chips 627 or groups
thereof (optionally in conjunction with lumiphoric material and/or
notch filtering material) may be arranged to generate emissions
having different color points. By separately controlling different
LED chips 627 or groups thereof, light output parameters such as
color point of emissions, color temperature of emissions, spectral
content of emissions, luminous flux of emissions, and operating
time may be varied
FIGS. 18A-18B illustrate an outdoor floodlight (e.g., street or
roadway lamp) 700 that may include multiple LED components as
described herein. The lamp 700 includes a housing 710 including a
base portion 711 supported by an elongated pole 701 or other
support. Multiple LEDs modules 731-1, 731-2, 731-3 each including
multiple LEDs 718A, 718B arranged in an array are provided along a
lower surface 720 of the floodlight 700 between the pole 701 and an
end cap 712. The LED modules 731-1, 731-2, 731-3 are arranged
proximate to an air gap 714 permitting heat to be dissipated to a
heat spreader or heat sink 726 (arranged along an upper surface 713
of the housing 710) and transferred to an ambient environment. The
floodlight 700 may include at least one receiver or sensor element
740-1, 740-2, which may embody any one or more of GPS receiver, a
radio frequency receiver, an ambient light sensor, an image sensor,
a temperature sensor, and occupancy sensor, a sound sensor, or the
like. In certain embodiments, at least one receiver or sensor
element 740-1 may be arranged along a lower surface 720 of the
floodlight 700, and/or at least one receiver of sensor element
740-2 may be arranged along an upper surface of the floodlight 700.
The floodlight is arranged to receive or determine information
indicative of geospatial or geographic location (and optionally
additional information such as time, time zone, and/or date) and
automatically adjust one or more light output parameters based at
least in part on such information to operate one or more
electrically activated emitters differently on different days of a
year. Signals received by the at least one receiver or sensor
element 740-1, 740-2 may be used to control operation of the LEDs
modules 731-1, 731-2, 731-3 to adjust light output parameters such
as color point of emissions, color temperature of emissions,
spectral content of emissions, luminous flux of emissions, and
operating time.
FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of an interior space 800 with a
lighting device 818 that may including multiple LED groups or
arrays as described herein arranged to illuminate an indoor
environment 801. The interior environment 801 may be bounded by
walls 803 and may include a window 802 arranged to admit ambient
light L.sub.A. One or more objects (e.g., a table 804) may be
arranged in the interior environment 801. One or more sensors 830
(e.g., photosensors) may be arranged to communicate sensory
information (signals) to a controller 835 (which may include a
driver module and/or a communication module) configured to control
or affect operation of the lighting device 818, which outputs
generated light L.sub.G. One or more of sensor(s), a signal
receiver, and a user input element 850 may also be provided to
communicate signals to the controller 835 to affect operation of
the lighting device 818. In certain embodiments, the preceding
sensor(s), signal receiver, and/or user input element 850 may be
remotely arranged relative to emitters of the lighting device 818,
and may be arranged to communicate with the controller 835 via
wired or wireless techniques. In certain embodiments, the preceding
sensor(s), signal receiver, and/or user input element 850 are
arranged to receive or determine information indicative of
geospatial or geographic location (and optionally additional
information such as time, time zone, and/or date), to permit the
controller 835 to automatically adjust one or more light output
parameters based at least in part on such information to operate
electrically activated emitters of the lighting device 818
differently on different days of a year. In certain embodiments,
one or more additional sensors 830 may also be exposed to the
interior space 801 to be illuminated. In operation, ambient light
L.sub.A may be transmitted through the window 802 into the interior
space 801. Such ambient light L.sub.A may optionally combine with
generated light L.sub.G, optionally reflect from one or more
surfaces or objects (e.g., table 804), and impinge on the one or
more sensors 830. In certain embodiments, the one or more sensors
830 may include at least one light sensor. The sensor(s) 830 may be
used to sense light intensity and/or color point, and output(s) of
the sensor(s) 830 may be supplied to the controller 835. The
controller 835 may be used to control operation of electrically
activated emitters (e.g., LED groups) of the lighting device 818 to
adjust light output parameters such as color point of emissions,
color temperature of emissions, spectral content of emissions,
luminous flux of emissions, and operating time.
FIG. 20 illustrates an interior lamp (e.g., desk lamp or table
lamp) 900 that may include multiple LED groups or arrays as
described herein. The lamp 900 includes an arm 954 extending
between a base 951 and a lamp head 960 that includes multiple LEDs
968. The base 951 may include a user input element 952 and a signal
receiver 955, and the lamp head 960 may include one or more sensors
940. In certain embodiments, the preceding sensor(s) 940, signal
receiver 955, and/or user input element 952 are configured arranged
to receive or determine information indicative of geospatial or
geographic location (and optionally additional information such as
time, time zone, and/or date), to permit a driver module (not
shown) to automatically adjust one or more light output parameters
based at least in part on such information to operate the LEDs 968
differently on different days of a year. Light output parameters
subject to adjustment may include I such as color point of
emissions, color temperature of emissions, spectral content of
emissions, luminous flux of emissions, and operating time.
Exemplary Applications for Lighting Devices or Lighting Systems
Disclosed Herein
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system as
disclosed herein may be used to automatically determine or detect
timing of sunrise and sunset (or daytime and nighttime conditions)
for that location, with such timing being subject to change (e.g.,
from day to day) based upon seasonal variation.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system as
disclosed herein may be used to automatically determine or detect
whether a particular day embodies a weekday or weekend, or embodies
a holiday or non-holiday.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system as
disclosed herein may be used to automatically determine or detect
zoning type (e.g., facility usage zoning) of a location in which
the device or system is installed, with non-limiting examples of
such zoning being business, retail, residential, school,
industrial, or the like. In certain embodiments, zoning may be
automatically determined with signals or information obtained from
GPS, WiFi, cellular telephone, or similar signals, optionally aided
by comparison to predefined databases, websites, or mapping systems
that may include or permit derivation of zoning information for
specific locations.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system as
disclosed herein may be used to automatically determine or detect
whether a device or system is installed in an indoor location or an
outdoor location. In certain embodiments, such determination may be
made with one or more sensors, and/or such determination may be
made with signals or information obtained from GPS, WiFi, cellular
telephone, or similar signals, optionally aided by comparison to
predefined databases, websites, or mapping systems.
In certain embodiments, a lighting device or lighting system as
disclosed herein may be used to automatically determine or detect
relative or absolute location of a lighting system or one or more
lighting devices. In certain embodiments, such location information
may include location of a room or space in which a lighting device
or lighting system is located, location within a particular room of
a lighting device or lighting system, location of one or more
lighting devices relative to one or more other lighting devices, or
location of a lighting device relative to one or more other
objects. In certain embodiments, a lighting system or lighting
device as disclosed herein may be used to detect movement of the
lighting system or lighting device--for example, by communicating a
signal via a network to a terminal or node arranged to receive
information relating to the lighting system or lighting device.
In certain embodiments, a lighting system or lighting device as
disclosed herein may be used to determine location of another
object based upon information obtained or derived from a lighting
device with location sensing ability. For example, an image sensor
associated with a lighting device may be used to detect presence or
absence of an other object in proximity to the lighting device, and
such information coupled with geospatial location information for
the lighting device may be used to determine location of the other
object. In another example, an other object may be arranged to
communicate wirelessly with one or more lighting devices, and
presence of a signal, absence of a signal, strength of a signal, or
triangulation of a signal between the other object and the one or
more other lighting devices may be used to determine location of
the other object.
Embodiments as disclosed herein may provide one or more of the
following beneficial technical effects: permitting intensity and
spectral content of artificial light to be automatically adjusted;
easing the ability to program a lighting device to operate at an
illumination level and spectral content suitable for a particular
location, time, day of week, and season; facilitating maintenance
of illumination of a brightness level and spectral content
appropriate for the location, the time of day, the day of week, and
the season; saving energy by operating artificial light sources
that automatically compensate for presence, absence, intensity,
and/or color point of natural ambient light; enhancing wellness of
people exposed to light from artificial light sources; and
permitting operation of a programmable lighting device to be
adjusted according to long-term and instantaneous user
preferences.
Various combinations and sub-combinations of the structures
described herein are contemplated and will be apparent to a skilled
person having knowledge of this disclosure. Any of the various
features and elements as disclosed herein may be combined with one
or more other disclosed features and elements unless indicated to
the contrary herein.
Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and
modifications to the preferred embodiments of the present
disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered
within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims
that follow.
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